


Date with Destiny

by HotaruShidosha



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Fanart, Fluff, Mystery, NSFW, Romance, Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-27
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2018-10-24 08:31:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 103,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10737987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HotaruShidosha/pseuds/HotaruShidosha
Summary: A/U - Set in current timesLevy is taken out for a night on the town, a night that changes her life foreverIncreased rating due to SMUTReviews fuel faster updates ;)





	1. Night on the Town

Levy turned the heavy book in her hands, glancing at the small summary on the back real fast before placing it where it belonged on the shelf. At her side, a cart filled with various books, both hard and soft cover, were waiting to be returned to their proper places. Levy McGarden scanned the pile for any others that seemed to belong in the area before grabbing the handle and pushing the cart to the next section. The public library was deathly quiet, save for a few people who were tapping away at the available computers. The evening sun glimmered through the wide windows, breaking through the trees that surrounded the library and signaling the closing of another day. With a quick turn of her wrist, Levy glanced at her watch, seeing it was time to announce that the library would be closing in an hour. Abandoning the cart of returns, she walked over to the front desk, grabbing the intercom to give the message. At her words, already a handful of people gathered their things and headed to the front to take out the books they were looking over. With quick movements and a smile, she checked their books out for them, watching them leave. As the final one on the line departed, Levy noticed a brunette female waltzing in, her stride confident and like she was in control of the world. Cana Alberona walked right up to the front, bringing her sunglasses down a bit to peer at the tiny librarian, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. The blue haired girl had a feeling she knew what Cana wanted, a nervous expression crossing over her face.  


“Evening, Cana, how are you?” she said, straightening some papers that were on the counter to distract herself.  


“Stop being cute,” she said with a chuckle, “you promised that once the weather was better that you would hang with me.” Levy gave a nervous smile, moving to tidy up any spare books on the counter, keeping her eyes on her work.  


“Well…. I have a lot of work to do.” Cana let out a short laugh, recognizing that her friend was trying to avoid this topic once again.  


“No more excuses, you need to branch out. You can't just know me all your life,” the brunette said, watching Levy move to the cart of books. She began glancing at the titles and authors, moving them in some sort of order in the cart. “You've lived here for almost a year. You can't just know me, your landlord, and the grocer.” Levy frowned without looking at her, feeling uneasy. With Cana, ‘meeting people’ meant going to clubs and bars. It was why she was avoiding this as long as she could. Her last excuse was that she wanted to wait for winter to be over, buying her quite a lot of time. Cana merely agreed due to saying she couldn’t wear heels and a cute dress. If it worked, Levy didn't mind. Cana watched as the blue haired girl continued fiddling with the books, seemingly ignoring her. “Alright well I know this place is closing soon. I'll meet you at your place around 7:30 to get you. Be ready,” she said, watching the shorter girl sigh. She grabbed her arm, pulling her into a hug, “You'll have fun, trust me.” Pulling her sunglasses back into place, Cana turned on her heel, walking out. Levy watched her leave, her gaze going back to the books to see her hand was lingering on a children's book. It was a collection of a handful of stories. She read the list to herself: Rapunzel, Pinocchio, Snow White, and Cinderella. She had always loved stories like these as a child, but, like reality, once she got older and realized they were sugar coated from the true stories, it brought her a bit of sadness. Like now, she enjoyed how quiet her life was but in a sense Cana was right, she couldn't live in her sugar fairy tale all the time. She only wished that Cana enjoyed other things rather than clubbing. She knew she should at last humor her friend at least once, knowing she made her wait long enough. Her attention was brought back as someone came up to ask if she could help them.

\---

At her top level apartment, Levy glanced at herself in her full length mirror, tying on her dark yellow headband with the loose ends falling over her left ear. She was wearing a dark yellow, short sleeved dress reaching just above her knees, the borders having black lace. On her arms starting just above the elbows were separate sleeves made entirely of the same black lace. She wore dark gray stockings with black boots that ended at her ankles, having only a slight heel. She glanced at her dresser, grabbing a black choker and tying it around her neck. She played with her hair a bit before hearing the bell, signaling that Cana was downstairs waiting for her. Her gaze left her image to glance at the stack of books beside her bed, knowing on a normal Friday evening she would be on an imaginary adventure in one of those. Her eyes came back to her reflection, shaking her head.

“If I don't do this now, she'll never stop,” she murmured to herself before grabbing a small black purse with a steel chain as its handle, bringing it over her shoulder. She grabbed her keys, turning off the lights and locking up. She exited her apartment to find Cana standing beside her red, open top convertible. The brunette was wearing a black spaghetti strap dress that reached above her knees with black heels, making Levy feel even shorter than usual as she walked up to her. 

“Oh, Levy, you look so cute!”

“Thank you. Where are we going anyway?” she asked while beginning to play with her hair in nervousness. 

“You'll see,” she replied as she opened the passenger door for her. Biting her bottom lip, Levy climbed in, instantly feeling trapped the moment the door was closed. She reached over, pulling the buckle over her chest, clicking it into place as Cana hurried into the driver side and threw the car into drive, bolting down the street. A small squeak escaped the blue haired female as she braced herself, grabbing the dashboard and door for comfort.


	2. Welcome to Lamia Scale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Out of her element, Levy tries to survive the night in the club Lamia Scale
> 
>  
> 
> Don't own Fairy Tail  
> Be sure to look up the songs mentioned, they were what I was playing while writing :)

The red vehicle came to a screeching halt in front of a brightly lit club, the thumping of the music pulsing through the ground. A line of antsy people stretched out along the side of the building, their eyes falling on the car as the brunette turned it off. Cana climbed out, looking over at the valet that raced to her side, assisting her out by pulling the door and grabbing her hand. She gave him a smile, handing him the keys before flipping her hair over her shoulder. 

“Thanks, Freed, be sure to take care of it as usual,” she said, giving him a wink. The long, lime haired male merely bowed, waiting for Levy to exit before climbing in and driving off. Cana was always well taken care of, being the daughter of a wealthy company owner. Her father, Gildarts Clive, was the world’s wealthiest man with owning many enterprises and at one point being a world champion in fighting. Now he lived quietly with his wife, always pampering his only daughter with whatever she needed. It was thanks to that that Cana would frequent such establishments and was often the life of the party wherever she went.

“There goes the escape vehicle,” Levy murmured to herself, her brown eyes following the car as it dashed away. Her attention was brought back as Cana grabbed her arm, guiding her towards the entrance. Music thundered throughout the area, the bass rumbling beneath their feet. A large man with white hair and a scar over the right side of his face under his eye was present at the door, giving them a nod as he let them go by while shoving others who tried to muscle their way in. 

“Thanks, Elfman.” 

“Have a good evening, Miss Alberona.” As soon as they passed, Levy could hear him shouting at other people. “Be a man and sit quiet!” Cana brought her arm up as if she were presenting the place to the blue haired girl, a smile on her face. As they entered, “Isolated” by Chiasm started playing, its beat coaxing people to crowd the dance floor. The main area was a wide, open dance floor with a bar on the far left and multiple stairways leading up to the upper catwalk that circled the entire place. A large stage crossed along the back wall, showing that there could be live talent performing as well as the regular played music that was going on at the moment. On the right as well as along the bar, tables were set up for anyone looking to drink or just hang out. In the corner close to the bar, a fancy section was blocked off, clearly for more of the wealthier guests of the establishment.

“Welcome to Lamia Scale! This is one of the best places in town.” The brunette was already dragging the girl over to the VIP section, a large circular table with lush red cushioned seats around it. One of the bouncers saw them walking up, removing the velvet rope that blocked it off. 

“Good to see you, Cana. Brought a friend this time,” exclaimed the Sakura colored haired youth, his wide smile making Levy feel more at ease. 

“Hey, Natsu, how are you? Where is that grump today?” As she asked, the brunette’s eyes darted around the area, as though checking if the coast was clear.

“Boss isn’t here yet. He's probably getting his guitar,” he replied with a chuckle. The brunette seemed to pale, a look of horror coming over her face at hearing that. 

“Oh no, I forgot it's open mic tonight.” Levy watched each one as they spoke, each talking about what was going on throughout the club and then finally Cana ordered a round of drinks and told the waiter to keep them coming. While Cana was talking to the one named Natsu, Levy whispered to the waiter that she only wanted apple juice, earning a strange look. As she watched the gentleman leave, she scanned the area while sitting at the table, feeling out of place and alone even though Cana was right beside her. She moved to look at the brunette to find her gone, a panicked expression coming over her as she looked around. Sinking further into the cushioned seats, Levy crossed her arms and tried to become smaller so no one would bother her. She watched as people danced along to the loud music, the air feeling stuffy and moist from the sweat and lack of windows. “Leeeeevy, I have some friends here.” Her gaze fell on the brunette walking over with four men, her arms around two of them like they were chums. Another wave of loneliness washed over her as they all joined her around the table. “This is Jet, Ren, Bora, and Hibiki. They want to relax with us.” Each man waved as their named was called out, giving the nervous looking female a friendly grin. 

“Oh…” Levy made a worried expression, trying to hide it with a smile, “N-nice to meet you.” Jet and Hibiki were instantly at her side, both boxing her in at the table. Bora brushed his midnight blue bangs aside as he sat across from them, watching as the two tried talking to her. Ren merely amused himself with Cana as she began downing drinks as they were brought to them by the waiter. It wasn't long before Cana was talking louder with a slight slur, the alcohol taking its effect. Levy cradled the apple juice she got, keeping her gaze on the golden liquid while being very vague with any questions she was asked. The only info they seemed to acquire was her name was Levy and she was Cana’s childhood friend. Anything else she deflected by asking them about themselves. Suddenly a tall, dark haired male showed, his hair done up in a bun and small triangle tattoos under both of his eyes. He yelled over the music at Cana, pointing at her while giving a cocky grin. 

“Cana, you and me, drinking contest now!” The brunette jumped out of her seat, her half empty bottle being swung around as she acknowledged his challenge. She pointed at him, her face fixed in rage.

“Bacchus, you son of a bitch! I'll drink you under the damn table!” She slammed a hand on the table to emphasize, causing the others around her to jump in alarm. The male gave a cheeky grin, waving over for more drinks. Empty bottles and mugs were cleared only for more to be put down. Levy blinked a bit before asking to be let out from the table. She retreated to the restroom, finding women leaning over the counter to apply makeup or check if their breasts were showing enough cleavage. Levy merely watched in disgust, feeling she was totally out of her element. This wasn't anything she would ever find herself doing. The constant prowl of finding a mate through lies and booze. It was a jungle out there and she wanted nothing to do with it. She really hoped after tonight that Cana would leave her alone about going out. Even if she didn't, she was going to say no, using this trip as something to hang over her head. Levy reached into her purse for her phone, glancing at it to see it was only 9 o'clock. Time was cruelly dragging on, extending the torture. At seeing a spot open, she walked up to the sink, washing her hands and face. She stared at her reflection for a moment, watching the water droplets caress down her face, refreshing her from the heat and stuffiness of the club. At the sound of more loud females entering the restroom, she snapped back to reality, leaning forward for a paper towel to dry. After checking her hair and headband, she decided she couldn't hide in the bathroom forever, walking out and back to the table. As she approached, she checked her phone again to see she had burned at least ten minutes in the restroom. The song “Swamped” by Laguna Coil began playing, quieting the place down a bit with its calming beat. She stayed on the outside of the table this time, keeping from being trapped between a bunch of strangers. It didn't seem to help as Jet and Bacchus began talking to her again, with Bacchus being a mess from drinking so much in so little time. Out of the corner of her eye, Levy could see that Cana had lost the contest, the brunette out cold with Ren and Bora on either side. 

“So who are you, little lady. Can't say I've seen you before,” Bacchus started, leaning in too close for her liking. She could smell the alcohol on his breath, feeling like he must have drank half the bar. He continued leaning in, watching her face show discomfort. “You seem nervous…. I won't hurt ya….” he suddenly threw his head back, letting out a cackle. The blue haired female jumped in alarm, a look of distress crossing over her features. Jet gave Bacchus a hard shove, easily knocking the man over as he shouted at him. 

“Bacchus, you ass…. You're shcaring her,” the one named Jet yelled, falling over onto her, his orange hair beginning to come loose from his high ponytail. A small screech escaped Levy until a muscled arm shot out, grabbing Jet by the collar and yanking him up forcibly. The blue haired girl's stare followed the scarred arm to meet the gaze of a ruby eyed male, his long black hair spilling over his eyes. He wore a dark green, sleeveless shirt with dark purple gloves that had steel around the wrists and over the knuckles, black pants, and black boots. Too focused in his task, the male started yelling at them, telling them they were getting loud and rowdy. They replied with slurred speech and falling over one another to which the ruby eyed one dropped Jet and crossed his arms over his lean, muscled chest. He glared at the group, his eyes scanning until he spotted the blue haired female, her brown eyes transfixed on him. He was very tall with black hair reaching about the middle of his back with it currently pulled into a ponytail, his bangs hanging loosely. He seemed to have steel studs in his face and arms; three in each eyebrow, two in the bridge of his nose and two on his chin with four in each of his forearms. Though he lacked eyebrows, his glare was deadly enough as his red eyes watched the party explode before him, the occupants becoming angry with him. 

“Gajeel, you jerk, there you are,” Cana said, stumbling to her feet. “Go play your damn guitar and quit shpoiling the fun.” Levy heard the one named ‘Gajeel’ suck his teeth in annoyance, his expression showing a mix of boredom and irritation. 

“Tch, seems to me you have had enough this evening,” he said while glancing at the waiter and motioning the kill gesture. The pink haired one from before named Natsu came running up, grabbing Gajeel’s shoulder and saying something about another table getting crazy and needing a hand. Giving the other a nod, he pointed at Cana, “You better be fucking behaving when I get back.” Cana leaned over the table as he walked away, moaning about him being a spoil sport and making a face at him. Levy stared after where the men left, figuring that Gajeel must have been a worker too but the way he spoke to Cana was different then others. 

“You weren't kidding, he really doesn't give a damn,” Bora murmured as he reached for his hard liquor, fluttering his bangs away from his eyes. 

“He's an ass. I was hoping he wasn't here tonight cuz thish is… hic… my girl Levy’s first time out… on the town,” Cana muttered reaching towards the end of the table at the blue haired girl. It was then she noticed that her friend was still staring off in the distance. “Levy.”

“Y-yes?” she squeaked, sitting up straight and facing everyone. She made a face at seeing her friend practically lying on the table with Bora and Ren enjoying a shot at seeing her panties. “C-Cana? What are you- ?” Before she could finish, the brunette got up and shoved others out of the way until she was next to Levy, grabbing the girl and squishing her against her chest in a tight embrace. The smell of alcohol was sickening, making Levy wonder how the brunette was still conscious.

“You are so… hic... cute. I love ya, Levy. Such a good girl.” After all the chaos that happened so far, Levy welcomed the hug, feeling a little better that Cana was acknowledging she was there. After a moment, the brunette's gaze shifted over to find their male company was staring, lighting a fire within her. She jumped up, slamming her hands on the table and startling them. “You guys have a problem? Eh? You mess with my friend and I'll kick your ass!” The blue haired girl let out a small chuckle. Her attention was brought to behind her as she heard Natsu and Gajeel clear over the music telling someone they had to leave. The man began harping about being someone important and that they were out of line. As she turned to look, Gajeel went head to head with the man, his deadly glare causing the troublemaker to shrink back in fear. She saw Natsu snicker behind him, his wide smile making him look so innocent. His eyes caught her looking, bringing his hand up to wave at her while Gajeel ripped the guy a new one. Suddenly, Natsu was knocked over as the ruby eyed male was shoved violently, his balance being thrown off. Another bouncer showed up, his lack of shirt surprising Levy as she watched all three pick the troublemaker up to haul him out. 

“Gray, put on your damn clothes,” Natsu spat. The dark blue haired male glared back, giving Natsu a blank look.

“Don't be jealous,” he said simply. Natsu nearly fell over at hearing him, his face straining against the urge to beat up Gray as well. 

“The hell you talking about, droopy eyes? You think I'm jealous of your string of puppies in heat?” the pink haired man snapped, jerking his thumb towards a group of nearby women. The sound of glass breaking could be heard at the bar, the blue haired woman behind it pulling out a rag to clean the spill. 

“Oi!” Both males turned to see Gajeel pointing out the side door, “This guy doesn't want to leave. Remind him why.” Natsu and Gray exchanged grins, cracking their knuckles as they walked out.

“I'm fired up!” Natsu screamed as he bolted ahead of Gray. Knowing his task was in good hands, Gajeel turned to find the waiter returning to Cana’s table with drinks. 

“Oi, I said no more.” The man began stammering until Bacchus jumped up in the red eyed male's face. “We can take this outside if you like.” An almost evil grin crossed the bouncer’s face, causing Bacchus to pause. With him settled, Gajeel turned to Cana, seeing her squishing another female against her. The girl totally didn't look happy, her face screaming that she didn't want to be there. Now that he had a moment to see, he realized she was very tiny, probably only reaching his pecs if she were standing next to him. “Cana, how old is your friend there,” he asked watching a look of drunken anger cross her face. The blue haired female blushed under his intense stare, feeling she was causing trouble. 

“She's 23, you… hic… bastard. Gotta problem?” A wild expression came over him as he leaned forward, baring his fangs.

“Yeah, you're still here. Think it's time for you to go,” he exclaimed only to be met with almost as much force by Cana.

“I don't have to go… hic… anywhere! You can go....” The blue haired girl freed herself from Cana, giving her a small bow. 

“Actually, I think I'm going to head out. It's late,” she murmured, her brown eyes averting his gaze. 

“Levy, you sit down right now,” the brunette demanded, slamming down on the table. With a grumble, she did as she was told, hearing the bouncer suck his teeth. He watched as she pulled her phone out of her small purse, probably to look at the time. It was just after 9:45, leaving way too many hours of the club being open for Gajeel to care for. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. After a moment he finally opened his eyes, glaring at the people before him.

“You’re getting one more chance. No more drinking, though. You’re cut off!”

“I’ll kill you, Redfox,” Cana screeched, balling a fist. If there was one thing she could not stand, it was someone telling her she couldn’t have her drink. He let out a unique laugh, causing Levy to look up to see his amused, smug expression.

“I’d like to see you try, you friggin drunk. Sit down and enjoy yourself,” he said as he walked away. The brunette screamed something incoherent before sitting down, glaring at the men across from her. Beside her, Levy was just happy that everything calmed down. At least as calm as it was able to be. 

\---

The evening dragged on at an incredibly slow pace, with Cana frequently scream-singing to music and the guys enjoying the view of her often not realizing her dress going crazy. Levy kept quiet as the little party raged on until she was able to sneak away at least to the bar. There she ended up talking to the bartender a lot, finding the woman was nice to speak to and had a tremendous interest in one of the bouncers, Gray. 

“Miss Juvia, have you ever told him about how you feel?” She watched as the woman's face turned a bright shade of red, her gaze glazing over in thought. She began wiping an empty glass to distract herself, her dark eyes watching her work. 

“Juvia doesn't know what to do. Juvia is afraid,” she murmured, finding her target in the crowd as he was yelling at someone to stop hanging off the stage. Just making eye contact with him had her fawning and holding her hands to her face in embarrassment. Levy had grown used to the woman's interesting speech, finding herself smiling.

“Well, how can you move forward if you never try?” Juvia’s face turned redder at this point before focusing on someone shouting for a drink. She excused herself, leaving Levy by herself. In the background, the song “Alles aus Leibe” by Oomph began playing, a bunch of people cheering at the heavy beat. Giving a sigh, Levy pulled out her phone to glare at the time again. Just as she moved to look at it, a hand creeped it's way up her right side and then her back, before settling on the base of her neck. She paled and gave a noticeable shiver as she turned her gaze to find a midnight blue, long haired man beside her with wild eyes and painted skin. His tongue was hanging out of his mouth as though he were crazed, his white skin and heavy shadowed eyes causing her to gasp in shock. 

“Well hello there, baby, what brings you out here?” He watched her squirm to get away from his hand. Clearly amused by her discomfort, he let out a loud cackle feeling her jump in alarm.

“Would you please leave me alone? Also please remove your hand,” she murmured. Her brown eyes searched for Juvia, finding her talking to a white haired male that was behind the counter with her. She could feel her face heat up as her heart rate increased, fear pouring adrenaline into her system. She eyed her glass of cola that Juvia had given her, considering tossing it at him when she suddenly felt him pull away, his hand yanking at her hair and pulling her headband off. She screamed in pain, clutching at where a few stands were taken as well as the counter to stop herself from falling off the stool.

“The little lady said no,” came a deep voice. Before she could fully turn, the frightening man's face went slamming into the counter. He cried out, clutching his now broken nose as he turned towards his attacker. Gajeel had his arms crossed over his chest as he watched the man attempt to stop his bleeding. The crimson eyed male gave his distinct laugh, enjoying the reaction to his attack.

“Y-You broke it. My n-nose…”

“Be glad that's all I broke, Vidaldus,” Gajeel replied as he moved in close, “I told ya never to come back here. How'd the hell ya even get in?” Despite the pain, Vidaldus grinned from ear to ear, clearly not going to share his secret. His tongue swished about, never going into his mouth. The bouncer grabbed his shirt, shoving him towards Gray behind him. “I want him out! You come back and it'll be the police next time.” The creepy man merely cackled as he was escorted, the crowd parting for them in fear of being near him. Gajeel turned back to where the blue haired girl was to find her gone, his eyes darting down to find her yellow headband on the ground. Picking it up, he scanned the immediate area, unable to see her through the people and darkness. He sucked his teeth, eyeing Cana’s table before sticking the headband in his pocket. 

\---

Outside, Levy leaned against the brick wall of the building, catching her breath from rushing out, welcoming the break from the stuffy place. Being so short worked to her advantage in ducking out fast, able to travel through the crowds quickly. Now she was out in the stale night air, the loud rumble of the club roaring into the streets. Her chest heaved as she gulped air, trying to calm her heart from the fear that had just racked her body. Bringing her hand to her chest, she attempted to even out her breathing, her hand finally coming up to notice her headband was gone. A frown crossed her face, liking that one a lot. She glanced over her shoulder to contemplate whether she should try to find it. Remembering that terrible atmosphere and people, she shook her head, finding it wasn’t worth it as she began walking down the sidewalk to get as far away from the place as she could. She dug into her bag to grab her phone, sending Cana a message that she had to leave before turning it off. The last thing she needed was the brunette to call her and beg her back. The only reason she would oblige was due to it being her friend, knowing guilt for leaving her would win. As she neared the corner, she glanced over her shoulder, seeing the lights of the club in the distance, the music fading away. She scanned the area for a taxi, finding the street in front of the Lamia Scale very bare. Glaring down at her phone, she turned it back on, calling a taxi service. 

“Never again, Cana. I’m never doing anything like this for you again. Should be glad I came at all,” she muttered to herself in anger. She could still feel pain where that man Vidaldus had pulled her hair, causing her to bring her hand up to rub the back of her head. She glared back towards the Lamia Scale as a bright yellow car pulled up. “Nothing wrong with wanting to live quietly.”

\---

Music pounded through the club, drowning out a lot of bickering that came from Cana’s table as she screamed about where Levy was to the others. Shrugs and head shakes was all she got, causing the brunette to lean back and give an exaggerated sigh. She began messing with her hair as she looked around, crossing her legs. Her face was bright red, the alcohol still fresh in her system from another drinking contest. 

“It’s only 11:30. Where could she have gone to? I saw her at the bar before talking to Juvia.”

“Maybe she is just in the bathroom,” Jet said, reaching for some fries that had been brought to the table. Cana frowned, glancing around the room some more. She knew Levy wouldn’t have left her hanging like that. It just wouldn’t be like her to do that.

“I dunno….” she mumbled.

“What does Levy do anyway? Never seen her around before. Is she a friend of yours, Cana?” Hibiki asked while taking a sip of his drink. Cana’s gaze shifted over towards him meeting his dark eyes, her hand still playing around with her hair.

“She’s a childhood friend of mine, I know she told you already. She works at the public library. She used to work at the local bookstore but she got fired for reading too much while at work.” After a moment, Cana let out a laugh, as though thinking about it brought back a funny memory. “She’s a sweet girl. I just wanted her to meet some people and have fun.” Bora and Ren glanced at each other as though they both came up with the same thought.

 _‘Doesn’t seem like her kinda thing,’_ Ren thought to himself as he glanced around the club. 

“Well, I hope she’s ok. I’m sorta her ride home,” she murmured while staring at the hair she was messing with.

“Yeah, like you were going to drive anywhere,” Jet said with a laugh. The other men chuckled in agreement as Cana began yelling at them once again. 

\---

Levy crawled through her apartment door, closing it and dragging herself to her room. Collapsing face first on the bed, a long sigh escaped her. Everything came at her at once, the pain in her feet, the aches of being so stiff and uncomfortable at the table, and finally the straight up exhaustion from being out way longer then she was used to. She lifted her head, glancing out her window at the night sky to spy thin clouds covering up the moon. Climbing out of her bed, she dragged herself over to the window, opening it a bit to let in some air before finally beginning to peel her garments off. Her goal was a hot shower and then curling under her covers, hoping to forget anything that happened tonight. She paused before the bathroom door, her thoughts going to all the people she had met. Natsu had seemed like a nice man, his wide smile and bright eyes inviting a friendly atmosphere to that drab place. Then there was Juvia, who seemed to really hold a strong crush on her coworker, Gray. The thought of the woman’s face brightening at being told to go for it made Levy smile. She walked into the bathroom, leaning over to turn on the water. After a moment she tested the temperature, content with it before setting it to the shower. She climbed in, leaning her head against the tile wall as the heat soaked into her skin, easing all the tension. As she closed her eyes, a pair of red ones flashed through her mind, causing her to jolt and gasp. 

_‘He saved me from that creep,’_ she thought to herself, her hand unconsciously going to the back of her neck, _‘I didn’t even thank him. I was so scared that I ran off.’_ Being reminded of that Vidaldus grabbing her, she snatched the soap from the tray, lathering and scrubbing her shoulders and neck. She finished cleaning before moving on to wash her hair, her mind going to losing her headband. After everything was clean, she shut the water, grabbing a fluffy blue towel to wrap around her before grabbing a small white one for her hair. As she shook her strands dry she walked into her room, moving towards the window to close the blinds, leaving it still cracked open for air. She spotted her cell phone, a glare crossing her face at the very thought of Cana calling to complain. She loved her friend dearly but there were times when she felt she didn't know her. Once Cana had begun her drinking habits, she felt herself pulled further away from her. She may have needed to broaden her horizons but people like that were not her type. Upon drying, Levy grabbed an orange, spaghetti strapped nightgown from her closet, throwing it over her head. Once she felt her hair was dry enough, she threw back her covers, climbing in before snuggling up and falling asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter was very short so I wanted to get this one up ASAP. Really looking forward to hearing feedback ^ ^


	3. Checking out

As Levy cranked on the power to the library, she found herself dragging her feet, a look of weariness on her features. Her body still ached, not acquiring the usual amount of rest that she would normally get. Her gaze landed on her tea that was at the main desk, wisps of steam could still be seen rolling off it. She walked over to it, grabbing the cup and inhaling the aroma. It was her favorite, Momoko Moon tea, with only sugar. The smell woke her senses, giving her a little pep as she moved to continue her work of replacing returns to the shelves. Luckily for her, the library was open for a shorter period today due to being a Saturday. At the same time, she enjoyed being there, surrounded by books and not being harassed like being at the club. A shiver passed through her at the thought of last night, her hand moving to her phone in the desk. She knew there was no possible way that Cana would be awake this early after all the alcohol she consumed. She had always had a high tolerance but after two contests with Bacchus and who knows what else after she was gone, she wouldn't have been surprised if Cana was in the hospital. Even after Gajeel had cut them off, no one could say no to the amount of money the two put up for having more brought to them. Also, they were lucky that the ruby eyed man was so busy that he didn't have time to check on them. Which made her wonder why he noticed that Vidaldus was harassing her at all. The pale skinned man really hadn't made too much of a scene for anyone to have realized he was bothering her. Her thoughts caused her to bump the cart into a computer desk, making her jump in alarm while cradling her beverage. As she moved to straighten what she did, a person walked in, the hiss of the automatic glass doors signaling their arrival. They instantly moved to the history section as though they had purpose, clearly having work that needed to be done. So much for solitude. Just the thought of another person here caused her to scowl to herself. Normally she would have no problem but after last night, she was hoping for a little more quiet before things became hectic. Plus, she now needed to make sure she was visible should they need any assistance seeing she was the only worker there. She glanced at the return cart longingly, deciding to put them away later. It would involve her being lost in the aisles, out of sight, and that was no longer an option. Taking a small sip of her tea, Levy glanced back towards the main desk, wondering what she should do next. There wasn't a whole lot to be done at the moment, most work she had finished off yesterday. Pulling back the billowy, yellow sleeve of her blouse, she glanced at her watch. It was only 10:46 in the morning and she was already without anything to do. 

_‘I guess I'll just--.’_ Her thoughts were cut short as she stared at the entrance, her brown eyes wide in shock. There, walking through the automatic doors casually with his hands in his pockets was Gajeel Redfox, the bouncer from Lamia Scale. She watched him glance at a few things on the shelves before making eye contact with her, giving her a small wave. She found herself blinking a lot, as though he might disappear. Blink, blink. Nope, he's still there. He was wearing a black t-shirt with beige, baggy pants with black combat boots. He was still wearing the same gloves from last night but this time with a matching headband. He walked up slowly, seeing her startled expression. 

“Morning.” 

“Good morning,” she murmured, unsure of what to do, “H-how did you find me?”

“Your friend, Cana, has a big mouth,” he said while looking around. Levy instantly began fuming to herself, upset that the brunette gave such info to strangers probably without a care. It was why she was so vague with any info they asked of her. She glanced up, seeing Gajeel still looking around the building. 

_‘Not entirely bad I guess. I didn't get to thank him.’_ Before she could even attempt to speak, he leaned forward, pulling something from his pocket and holding it in front of her. A small gasp escaped her as she saw her yellow headband entwined around his fingers. 

“This is yours, right?” She stared at it in disbelief before slowly reaching for it.

“Y-You came here… just to… give this to me?” She peered up at him, smiling brightly as she accepted it. “Thank you!” Her cheerful expression caught him off guard, feeling his face redden. In his line of work, he was used to people being pissed at him. Their usual reaction either wanting to fight him or of complete terror. A smile tugged at the corner of his lip, coming out more like a cocky grin. 

“It's not a problem. Levy, right?” She nodded, looking at the yellow cloth in her hand. Even though she was already wearing a black one for the day, she pulled it out. She moved over to the main desk, putting her tea and the black headband near her papers before turning back to him while putting the yellow one in place. 

“I wanted to thank you for helping me with that strange man yesterday, Mr. Redfox. He was creeping me out and wouldn't stop touching me,” she gave a noticeable shiver. After tying the loose ends over her left ear, Levy began smoothing her hair out with her fingertips. The dark haired male stuffed his hands in his pockets, shifting his weight to his right leg.

“Gajeel’s fine. And yeah, Vidaldus is a creep. I'm glad I got him away from you before he did what he usually does and why he got permanently kicked.” She tilted her head in confusion. “He would have started licking you.” He watched the color from her face drain, seeing her reach for the counter for support. She thought back to Vidaldus looking at her with crazed eyes and his tongue never going in his mouth. “And that would probably be just to start,” he finished softly while glancing away, a glare crossing his face. “What was a little thing like you doing there anyways,” he asked turning towards her and leaning into her face. Taken off guard by the sudden closeness, she squeaked and took a step back, feeling her body hitting the counter. 

“Cana forced me. Harassed me for months,” she heard herself say, her eyes locked onto his. 

“Excuse me, miss?” Her chocolate-colored gaze shifted over to find a young man holding a few books, his face showing that he was confused as to what was going on before him. Blinking a few times, it finally registered that she was still at work, her face bursting into a bright red as she bolted over to the person. 

“Y-yes, what can I help you with?” 

“I was wondering where I could find the copier.” She motioned for him to follow, seeing Gajeel behind him leaning against the desk with a grin on his face. Clearly her reaction had amused him. However, unlike the strange people from last night, she didn't seem to mind it. He'd already helped her out and he was definitely friendlier than any of the patrons at the club. As she walked away with the man, Gajeel couldn't seem to stop himself from admiring her knee-high, black skirt and heels, finding himself staring. Before she could return, he pushed off the counter, messing with books on the nearby shelf without really looking at them as he waited. 

“You like fairy tales?” He heard a small voice ask. He turned to find her already back, her head tilted in fascination. He raised an eyebrow at her, unsure what she was talking about until he glanced at the book in his hand. Beauty and the Beast in gold etching was written across the black covered tome, the font shimmering in the light. He remembered the general story: ugly beast who tries to get the pretty village girl to love him to break the curse. He glanced between the book and her, feeling like she was the pretty village girl. 

“Nah, I was just messing with the books.” 

“Messing up my shelves?” For some reason, he made that dirty in his head, clearing his throat a bit. Putting the hardcover back, he looked down at her, finding her giving him her full attention. Her large eyes stared at him with what looked like fascination and curiosity. Her cheeks were still flushed from being seemingly caught in an awkward position by a patron, making the rest of her skin seem pearly white. As she leaned forward to peer up at him, he could almost see down her yellow blouse, catching him a bit off guard. She was so tiny.

“Would you like to go out for coffee later,” he heard himself say, watching her eyes go wide. She began playing with her hair, messing with her bangs. “You don't have to if you don't want to. I won't be insulted.” 

“No, no, no, I just…. wasn't expecting something like that,” she murmured, “We just met after all.” He leaned against the bookshelf, careful not to knock anything over.

“That a no?”

“Yes. I mean…. No, I'll go. I… I work until 2 o'clock.” He looked around, spying a clock above the main desk reading 11:27 am. 

“Do you want me to pick you up here?” 

“S-sure,” she said, fiddling with her hair more while her face grew brighter with blush. Content with the reply, he gave her a nod, taking his chance to leave before he got her in trouble at her job. Once he left, she ran to the window to see what it was he drove, finding him putting on a helmet while on the back of a motorcycle. She wasn't familiar with the types of bikes but it seemed pretty standard with a black paint job and silver finish. She became nervous at the thought of him coming back on that to take her anywhere. After he was gone, she sat by the window for a little while, just staring out at the patch of forest that was along the back of the library, cutting it off from anything else. An eerie sensation came over her, like someone was watching her. She turned her head towards the inside of the building, finding other people reading books or walking over to the computers. No one seemed to notice her there. Giving a small sigh, she went back over to her desk, finding her headband on her paperwork. Her hand reached up for the one he just returned to her, a small smile forming on her lips. She brought her hands up to cover her face, feeling it heat up as everything sank in. _‘I can’t believe I’m doing this!’_ she thought as she grabbed a random book on the main desk, using it to cover her blushing face. Suddenly, time felt really, really slow. 

\---

Never in her time working at the public library had Levy been in such a hurry to close up. The thought of Gajeel coming back for her made her feet move a little faster as she moved to shut all the computers down one by one. She had already made the closing announcement, walking through the building to make sure no one was left between the aisles, engrossed in a book or not paying attention. Once again, a sense of being watched came over her, giving her a shiver down her spine. However, as she looked around and down the aisles, no one appeared to be left. Her cheeks puffed in anger, wondering what it was that was setting this off. She'd never felt it before and it was troubling her greatly. Shaking her head, she moved to the main power, watching the whole place go dark before walking to the front desk for her bag. A quick check for her phone and keys and she was on her way out, locking the doors behind her. Walking down the main ramp, she glanced around for any sign of her dark haired escort, finding no one. Pulling her sleeve back, she saw the time was 1:55, realizing she closed a few minutes early. She'd been so excited that she didn't notice. At the same time, she lucked out with no one doing some hardcore research and holding her up like she would normally get during the week. Placing her bag on the ground, she stretched, bringing her hands over her head. The strange feeling came over her again, causing her to scan the area and only see the forest around. A loud noise to her right caught her attention as a motorcycle came cruising up the library's driveway, stopping just before her. As he pulled off his helmet and shook his hair free, Gajeel was greeted by her nervous face, causing him to raise a studded eyebrow in confusion.

“Oi, what's wrong?” He saw her eyes instantly go to his ride, understanding, “Don't worry, I won't get you killed.” He watched her make a face as though she wasn't sure, motioning for her to step forward. Grabbing her bag, she walked up to have him place his helmet over her head. He raised the visor, seeing almost her full face where only his eyes would be. “You really are tiny.”

“Did you come here to pick on me?”

“Gihee, no but we'd be gone if ya quit being scared. I won't let you get hurt,” he said, waiting for her to climb on behind him. For a brief second, his eyes darted down, noting her skirt.  


“I dunno….” He reached up, closing the visor and causing her to squeak in alarm. 

“Come on,” he revved the engine on purpose, his toothy grin flashing. From inside the helmet, he heard her sigh, finally climbing on the bike and squeezing his torso as hard as she could.  


“I'm not hurting you, right,” came her muffled voice. 

“Are you even holding on?” He felt her jolt a bit, “I'm kidding. You're fine.” With that, he revved the bike and brought it around the back of the library towards the exit. Inside the helmet, Levy could feel her face heat up, wishing she knew something like this would happen so she wasn't wearing a skirt. She leaned herself fully against Gajeel’s back, rather having him against her then having anything showing. After feeling she was ok with her clothing situation, she squeezed her eyes shut, feeling everything lean as he made turns. There were points where they would stop, feeling his left leg hold them steady until they would move again. With every motion, she felt his muscles stretch and pull, his body handling the bike with ease. It wasn't long before he was calling back to her, letting her know they were at their destination. Blinking a bit, she leaned up, feeling her body relax at being at a stand still. Adjusting the helmet so she could see better, she looked around, not familiar with where they were. Another squeak escaped her as he gently pulled the headgear off, freeing her. She shook her head as if to clear it, thankful for the fresh air. Climbing off as best she could with her skirt, she glanced around to find a small restaurant with an outdoor setting, the tables equipped with umbrellas. “Did you want to sit inside or out?”

“D-doesn't matter,” she stammered. He walked up to the host stand, giving a small wave to the white haired female in a white blouse and black skirt that was standing at it. She smiled brightly, her blue eyes shimmering. 

“Oh hi, Gajeel, didn't expect you today.” 

“Hey, Mira,” he said. Realizing Levy wasn't right next to him, he glanced back before gently grabbing her arm and pulling her up to stand beside him, “gonna be two today.” Levy watched Mira’s eyebrows pop up in surprise. Grabbing two menus, she brought her arm up to guide them to an outside table looking over the lake. 

“So how's my brother doing?” she asked while putting the menus on the table. 

“He's fine. He makes a good doorman. Scares the shit outta everyone,” he answered with a laugh, “You haven't heard from him?” Levy recalled the huge man with the scar that had let them in, figuring that was who they were referring to. 

_‘That's her brother?!’_

“His sleep pattern is different from mine so I don't see him as much. Just was curious.” Mira replied with a shrug. Gajeel pulled one of the chairs out, motioning for Levy to sit. 

“I see. I'll be right back, could you get me a coffee?” he asked, walking away. Once he was inside, Mira gave Levy a huge smile, tilting her head and clasping her hands in front of her chest. 

“You must be special for him to bring you here.” The blue haired girl felt her face turn red, shaking her head. “Gajeel doesn't like people knowing he comes here. He likes to play his guitar here a lot. Well, I'm gonna go get that coffee. Did you know what you would like?”

“Black tea is fine,” she replied, watching Mira leave. Levy began fidgeting in her seat, thinking about what the white haired girl had just told her. She glanced out towards the water, watching the waves swish about, the gentle wind fluttering her hair. Upon his return, she felt her face heat up more, thinking about what Mira said again. 

“You ok?”

“Y-Yeah,” she murmured, looking around at the outside patio, “So this is a nice place. I didn't know about it,” she said, peering out at the water again. 

“We're on the edge of town. This is one of those smaller places you have to know about it to see it,” he replied, taking a seat across from her. She nodded, watching him lean back in his chair. He was looking out at the water as well, his posture laid back and relaxed. She kept her hands in her lap, feeling tense and uncomfortable in the silence. 

_‘What am I doing here? Why did I agree to this? He seems nice but I really don't know anything about him,’_ she glanced up at him, seeing he was still peering out. Her eyes darted back to her hands, unsure of what to do. 

“Are you alright?” Her head snapped up to find him leaning forward in his seat, his arms on the table as he leaned towards her. “Am I that scary?” She began waving her hands back and forth all while shaking her head, a wave of guilt crashing over her.

“No, I'm sorry! I'm just not used to this. I didn't mean to offend you,” she murmured, finally settling down. Mira showed up with their drinks along with cream, milk, and sugar. Leaving everything in the middle, she asked if they wanted anything else getting a ‘no thanks’ from Gajeel. Giving a slight bow, the blue eyed waitress left them to their awkward silence. “I'm sorry.”

“You've got nothing to be sorry about,” he said, blowing on his coffee. “So you're a librarian? That pay a lot?”

“It's ok I guess,” she mumbled, reaching for the sugar, “what made you want to go into your profession?”

“I like to fight. Don't get to do it as much as I thought but the pay is good.” 

“Is that where you got those scars,” she motioned to his right arm which was covered in about four, maybe five scars. 

“Nah, I got those when I was younger.” His tone suggested to her that he didn't want to talk about it, causing her to frown. A sudden thought came to her, making her lean up. 

“So I hear you play the guitar.”

“Gihee, hell yeah, I do. I write my own music too,” his devilish grin appeared again, revealing he seemed to have natural fangs. Now that things were calmer, she was beginning to notice small things. Like other than that, he had five studs in each ear that matched the ones on his face. He certainly had the gritty look to be a bouncer. Yet here he was, treating her like a lady and buying her tea. “I like to think I'm really good at it. You might hear some difference of opinion here and there,” he mumbled into his mug. “Either way I like it.”

“Well that's what really counts,” she said, offering a smile. Seeing that she was finally relaxing, he smiled back. There was a bit of silence between them again, only this time the tension was now gone. They watched the waves a little, seeing someone off in the far distance on a small boat. 

“So how do you know that drunk? I can't really see you hanging out with her.”

“Who, Cana? She's a childhood friend. Yeah, once she found she liked drinking, things did change quite a bit,” she stared at her drink a moment in thought, “There was a long time I didn't see her but we still kept in touch. She's really a good person.” She smiled as she looked out at the water, thoughts of them being kids again running through her head. She missed those times when things were easier. Now it was all about money and bills. Levy suddenly jumped as her phone began buzzing, causing her to scramble through her bag for it. Once she fished it out, she was greeted by Cana’s picture. Speak of the devil. She glanced up at Gajeel, seeing his gaze on her phone. He seemed to see the picture, his eyes narrowing. “E-Excuse me please. I really should take this.” He grunted a bit, drinking his coffee. She stood and walked away from the table, bringing the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

“Levy, where the hell have you been? Where are you now?!”

“Why are you so upset?”

“I've been calling you for awhile now. Did they not go through?” At that, Levy pulled the phone away to see three other missed calls. How did she not notice her phone until now? Her eyes glanced back at her company. 

“I'm sorry, Cana, I didn't mean to worry you. Did you need something?”

“I wanted to check up on you. You disappeared last night but I knew you had work so I didn't bother you till later. Where are you?” 

“I'm out,” she replied. There was a short pause as though the brunette was confused. 

“But you're ok?”

“Yes, I'm fine.” There was a longer pause on the other end that made the blue haired female nervous. Anytime Cana was silent, there was trouble close behind. 

“Ok… I'll stop by tomorrow then. Call if you need anything.”

“S-sure. Thanks for calling. I'm sorry I didn't answer before.” She heard the brunette sigh deeply.

“It's ok. I just didn't know what happened so I was worried.” Levy smiled, feeling like they were little kids again with Cana making sure no one picked on her or treated her badly. In the distance, Gajeel watched her as her conversation went from frantic to calm. He saw what looked like she finishing up, averting his eyes and staring at the water. She returned to her chair, apologizing as she smoothed out her skirt. He glanced up at her with one eye open from his mug, unsure what to say. 

“You really don't like Cana, do you?” He opened both eyes, leaning back and blinking a bit. He wasn't expecting her to straight up ask him about it.

“She's a spoiled little princess and I hate her attitude,” he grumbled. He was really surprised when Levy began laughing. 

“Yeah, she is certainly that,” she replied, “is that why you talk to her like that?” He frowned, a look of confusion crossing his features. 

“Like what?”

“Everyone else who works there seem to be all polite to her.” 

“I don't give a damn who they are, they set one foot in that place and they're in my house,” he glared down into his empty mug, clearly thinking of other scenarios that had happened in the club. “Do what you like at your own place, but it's my job to keep the peace in there. I'll do my job. So to answer your question: I don't care who you are, you're mine once you are in my place.” He pushed the mug away while leaning back, folding his arms over his chest. “Need more like you to come in. Could use an easy night every now and then.” She thought back to the loud music and screaming people while taking a sip of her tea. She raised an eyebrow as she suddenly saw a mischievous look on his face, “Though if they're all as small as you, I'd have twice as much to deal with.” She felt her face flush, her cheeks puffing up out of habit. His laugh startled her as he smacked the table, his other arm going across his stomach. 

“You're messing with me,” she grumbled. 

“Maybe. Gihee!” She pouted a little more before glancing at her cell. 

“Oh my, it's already this late?” Curious, he pulled his phone out to see the numbers glare 6 o'clock. He scoffed a bit, about to put his device away when Levy jumped up, pointing at it. “What is that?” On his screen was a chocolate brown cat with a scar over its left eye, it's brown eyes looking back at them. 

“Oh, this is Lily, my cat,” he turned the phone so she could see better, seemingly really proud of it. 

“She's so cute!”

“It's a ‘he.’ Yeah, he's my little buddy,” he said as he put the phone back in his pocket. 

“Big bad man likes little creatures, hmm?” she teased, bringing her hand over her mouth with a smug look, trying to get him back. 

“Found you, didn't I,” he countered without missing a beat. Once again, she made a face, having lost this round as well. He pulled his wallet out, leaving money on the table and motioning for her to follow, “Gihee, come on, I can take you home.” She put her own phone away, pulling her bag over her shoulder. Seeing Mira just inside the restaurant, she waved, giving a smile. The white haired girl returned the gesture before moving to clear their table. As they exited the outer dining area, the bike came into view again, causing Levy to feel nervous. “You got here ok, didn't you?” She jolted, his breath tickling her ear as he whispered into it. Clearly it must have been written on her face. He handed her his helmet, wanting to watch her put the thing on. She stared at it a moment, not sure how it should go on. He gave his distinct laugh, seeing her glare at him. She realized he was amusing himself with watching her figure it out. 

“You’re enjoying yourself, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am,” he said, grabbing it and helping her put it on. He climbed on, starting it up and revving it to make her jump, content with the reaction he got. He couldn't see her face but he was pretty sure she was giving him the same blank look from earlier. She climbed on behind him, once again clutching him for dear life as he took off down the road. When they were stationary at one of the lights, he asked her where she lived. As they headed to her apartment, Levy tried enjoying the ride, feeling the wind against her skin and her body against his. Soon, they were in front of her building with Levy hopping off and handing Gajeel his helmet back. She began smoothing out her hair, feeling her headband and was reminded of how the day started. The sun began its descent, orange light dying the sky and landscape. Gajeel rested his helmet in his lap, leaning his arm on it. “I have to get going to work in a while. Guess I won’t ever be seeing you in that place ever again, hm?” 

“W-why would I ever go back there?” She made a face at the thought of the Lamia Scale, the loud music and creepy patrons. He chuckled, pulling his phone out of his pocket again.

“Then let me get your number. Unless you don’t want to talk to me anymore. That’s ok, too,” he said. After a moment of stammering, Levy took the phone from him, putting her info in before handing it back. “Gihee, I guess I’ll catch you later then, Levy,” he said as he pulled his helmet on and opened the visor, his red eyes now the only thing she could see, “You have a good one.” With that, he covered his eyes and took off, his wild, black hair flying as he sped down the road and into the horizon. She stood there a moment to watch before retreating into her apartment and climbing the stairs to the top. As she reached the top, she managed to fish her keys out of her purse, unlocking her door and instantly going to her room. Falling back in the bed, she stared up at the ceiling, running the day through her head again. A small smile formed in her lips.


	4. Cake and Worries

**Hello, everyone. Hope you are enjoying the story so far. Your kind words fill me with such motivation and happiness. I couldn't help updating again so soon. Looking forward to more feedback from you all.**

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**Legend:**

[Text messages]

_Thoughts_  
\----

Sunday was relatively quiet with Levy going shopping for the week and tidying up her place. Throughout the day, she glanced at her phone, checking to see if Gajeel had left her a message. Being caught off guard, she realized that she didn't get his number in return. It bothered her little though, as she had expected him to send a message soon enough. The day went by with nothing, making her feel a bit silly for checking so much. Come Monday morning, though, at around 11 o'clock, her phone lit up with a greeting while she was at work.

[Morning, Levy. It's Gajeel. Sorry about not messaging you until now. Yesterday was pretty crazy.] At the sight of the message, she felt the flutter she had felt when he'd asked her for coffee. She sent him a reply back telling him it was ok and hoped everything was alright before putting her phone on the desk and going back to sorting books. As she finished checking a pile that people had returned for the cards inside, her coworker, Lucy Heartfilia, walked in, giving her a wave.

"Morning, Levy, how are you?"

"Doing ok," she replied while grabbing a stack of books, walking over to the return cart. As she began placing them in, her phone lit up on the desk. Lucy saw her eyes dart over to it a moment before finishing what she was doing. Raising an eyebrow, the blonde moved over to place her bag under the desk for safekeeping during work before coming over to help put the books in the cart with her. "Your outfit is really cute, Lucy." The blonde glanced down at her pink tank top and black pencil skirt before smiling at her friend.

"Thanks, yours is as well. Yellow always looks so good on you," she replied motioning to Levy's dark yellow t-shirt and white pants. Once again the phone screen lit up and again Levy took note of it before going back to sorting. "Hmm." Lucy pulled the cart a bit, telling Levy she would start putting them back in the shelves for her. She was sure to walk away very slowly as she watched the blue haired girl retreat to her phone. Her eyes darted up from the screen to look at her, her face reading as though she had been caught doing something she shouldn't.

"You ok, Lucy?"

"Yeah. Fine, fine," she said before finally taking her leave, the click of her heels sounding through the quietness. Levy glanced down at her phone again, finding one message from Gajeel and the other being Cana. The brunette had not come over yesterday like she had said so Levy had sent her a text asking how things were. Almost twelve hours later now and she was just now receiving a response. She mentioned that her father had called and told her how Cana's mother was very sick. She frowned, sending her a reply hoping everything would be alright. As she hit send she saw someone approaching out of the corner of her eye, causing her to quickly put her phone in the top drawer before smiling up at the person.

"Yes, can I help you?" Her eyes went wide as she recognized the man before her. It was Jet from the club who had resided at the table and drank the night away. 'Oh no…'

"Hello, Miss Levy, how are you?"

"Oh this can't be happening. This is why I didn't say anything," she rested her hand on her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. Part of her wanted to call Cana up right then and there and yell at her but after the last message she knew that wasn't going to happen. Levy began feeling an anger that she couldn't express, feeling trapped. "Look," she started, pointing towards the inside of the building at the books, "unless you are here to check out something, you need to leave." Jet frowned, upset that just the sight of him set her off like this. "Cana should never had told you guys anything. Please leave."

"I didn't mean anything by it," he said while scratching his head.

"I'm sure. Now if you would excuse me," she grabbed a handful of books from her desk, walking by him, "I have work to do. Good day." She moved down the closest aisle, glancing at the title on the top book in her arms without looking at him. She heard him sigh deeply before leaving. Clearly he wasn't going to get anywhere with how upset she was. As she continued sorting, she could feel her face heat up from rage. There was no way she would be able to tolerate any more of them should they show.

"Levy, are you alright?" She turned to find Lucy beside her, her face showing a great deal of concern. Levy turned back to the books in her arms, glaring at them.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"You don't usually get angry. What's wrong? Did that man say something to bother you?"

"No, just him being here did that. You know how Cana wanted me to go out on the town with her. To 'meet new people?' Well that was one of the results. Apparently, she blurted out where I worked after I left."

"Well, that wasn't very nice of her," the blonde replied, resting her hand on her hip. "Well, hopefully that's all that comes from it." Levy made a face, thinking about when it would be best to have a talk with Cana. With things shaky at the moment, it was going to be quite awhile. "By the way, wasn't that book club going to be using the side room today?"

"Yeah, I made sure it was open for them. Should be here around 1 o'clock, I think," she replied, feeling herself calm down. She took the moment to peer around the corner, making sure Jet had truly left, finding him gone. Hurrying over to her desk, she popped open the drawer and pulled out her phone, finding another message from Gajeel.

[So what's up with you? Your job must be so boring. I wouldn't be able to do it.] She let out a small laugh before replying,

[It varies. One minute there is nothing to do and the next it's chaos. What's up with you?]

"Hmmmmmmm?" Levy jumped at suddenly seeing Lucy right beside her, borderline in her face. "You seem awfully happy all of a sudden. Something you aren't telling me?" As if to prove Lucy was right, the blue haired girl felt her face heat up, no doubt turning red.

"W-What? What do you mean?" Lucy continued staring with a smug look as Levy stammered through her sentences. Her only saving grace was a person coming up to say something was wrong with the printer. The blonde offered her assistance, leaving a blushing Levy behind. Once Lucy was gone, she turned away from the desk, bringing her hands up to feel how warm she had become. _'Am I really showing it that much on my face?'_ she thought as she peered down at her cell. She brushed her hair aside, trying to calm down from Lucy's confrontation. She placed her phone down on the desk, beginning to sort some random papers to distract herself. Before she knew it, her eyes were on the device again, looking for a message. As she reached for it, she blinked a bit, realizing what was going on. _'Oh dear, do I like him? I… I mean.. I just met him,'_ she thought back to when he took her out, _'but he really is so sweet.'_

__

"Levy? Hello?" Lucy waved her hand in her face, leaning over the counter. She jumped, shaking her head before focusing on her friend. "Oh there you are. I need the keys to the supply closet."

"Oh, I'm sorry." She rummaged through the top drawer before the sound of jingling caught her attention, her hand meeting cool metal. Pulling them out, she handed them over, seemingly in a daze.

"You alright, Levy?"

"Hmm? Yeah, just thinking."

"If you were anyone else, I would question that," Lucy replied with a short laugh before walking off. The flicker of her screen caught her eye as she grabbed her phone and took the screen lock off. The message from him this time had a picture attachment, making her tilt her head in confusion. After a quick load, the image of a dark cat showed up, bringing a smile to her face.

[Just hanging out with this little guy. Beat from work last night.] Lucy returned with the keys, moving behind the desk to replace them.

"Something really must be up," she said, causing Levy's head to snap up, "I've never seen you into your phone so much."

"R-really?" Now that she thought about it, she didn't generally mess with her cell too much, always having other things to do or reading. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be playing with this at work." Lucy waved her hand, showing she didn't mind. It was unusual for Levy to show such great interest in something that wasn't a book. In fact, Lucy found it rather cute.

"Don't worry about it. You just be sure to tell me what's going on when we have the time." She gave her a wink before turning to help a girl with checking out books.

"Not entirely sure what is going on," she murmured to herself as she stuck her phone in her bag and moved to the back to check the outside deposit box for returns.

\---

The next two and a half weeks went by without too much incident. Jet had tried to make an appearance again much to Levy's dismay. Also, Hibiki showed up but after a quick exchange of dialogue, it was shown that he really was there to get books, having a membership for several years now. Gajeel and Levy continued their text conversation, learning bits and pieces about each other. He also would visit her at work a little, talking to her when it was quiet and sometimes bringing her home. Lucy was very happy to hear that her friend had seemed to find a man, being told instantly that it wasn't like that.

"Oh sure it isn't, Levy dear. Whether you think so or not, you feel something. I can tell by how you've been acting," Lucy crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair. They were at the local cafe with the two having caffeinated beverages and small cakes. Levy stabbed a small piece of her key lime pie, glaring at it before eating it. The blonde stifled a laugh at watching her friend process what was said to her. Suddenly, she leaned forward and grabbed the blue haired girl's phone, setting the camera up.

"W-What are you doing?"

"Take another bite," she said while looking at the screen. Levy shook her head wildly, knowing exactly what it was she was up to. "Have you sent him any yet?" Another head shake. "What about him?"

"Only of his cat," she mumbled while trying to hide her face. "Please don't. I… I just…"

"You are so cute," Lucy said with a giggle. "I think you should send him one." The blonde waited for a chance to snag one, only to be denied by a hiding Levy. "You going to go out with him?"

"What?!" Her head snapped up, a bright flash lighting up the area and causing her to cover and rub her eyes. "No fair," she cried out.

"You're lucky. You look too scared in this for me to send," Lucy snickered, showing her the image. "Seriously, though, you should go out."

"No offense, but I would really rather make that decision for myself," she said quietly. "Please don't pressure me. I know you mean well."

"Alright, alright," the blonde said, handing the phone back. "I'm just happy for you." Once she felt her eyes were better, Levy took her phone back, giving her friend a big smile.

"Thank you."

"Oh, Levy, you are so adorable! If you do go on a date I want to help you dress up! I know a good hair stylist!" Levy gave her a nervous look, messing with her hair and yellow headband. She found herself wearing it more often lately, though it went well with most of her clothes. Like for today she was wearing a yellow tank top with a black vest and black pants with red sandals. She glanced around the cafe, seeing how many people were there and how many might have heard Lucy. People seemed to either be in their own world or not care, chatting with friends and ordering food or drinks. She turned her gaze to the window, seeing the blue sky and the trees sway in the breeze. A slight buzz caught her attention as she gazed down to see another message from Gajeel. "That must be him." She looked up, giving a confused expression. "You're smiling." She let it go, reading what he sent.

[Hey, Levy, what's up? How are you doing today?] It was such a simple message yet she felt so happy. Suddenly she felt that weird sensation again, her head looking back and forth throughout the cafe. Lucy stared at her a moment before asking what's wrong.

"I feel like… somebody's watching me…" she kept glancing around, not seeing anything noticeable. She stood, grabbing her bag and finishing her drink in one shot, "Can we go please?" Lucy scrambled to gather her things, not expecting the sudden move.

"Yeah, sure. It's not a problem," she said, also glancing around. As soon as they were outside, Lucy leaned in close, "What happened just now?"

"Lately, I've been feeling like someone has been watching me. I felt it at work and now here. I haven't really been out a lot this week so I can't say for sure," she peered up to see if Lucy thought she was nuts, only to find a look of concern.

"Well, here's hoping you are just imagining things." Levy nodded, staring down at the sidewalk as they continued on. Her eyes landed on her phone in her hand, remembering that she had to reply to Gajeel.

[Hey, Gajeel, hanging in. How about you?] The reply was almost instant.

[Nothing going on. Mentally preparing for work tonight.], he said. She frowned, putting her phone in her pocket. Lucy put her hand on the smaller girl's shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze.

"Did you want me to walk you home?"

"That's so out of the way for you," Levy stated, though inside she really did want her to. The blonde smiled, patting her shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. Let's get going," she said, hurrying the smaller one along. They chatted up as they walked, discussing work and current events. Before long they were in front of Levy's place, the girl looking up at her own window in thought. "If I didn't have a doctor appointment I would stay. You know that, right?" Levy smiled, giving her a dismissive wave.

"It's alright. You did more than enough already. Thanks, Lucy." They hugged each other with the blonde walking back the way they came from. For a moment, Levy watched until she disappeared before fishing her keys out. Unlocking the front door, she made sure it was shut tight before trekking up the stairs to her place at the top. Just before she reached the door, her phone buzzed. She pulled it from her pocket, smiling at the picture of Lily that greeted her.

[Really don't want to go to work. Gonna be a headache.] She stared at Gajeel's message, her hand lingering on her doorknob with the key already in it. A thought came over her, causing her to bite her lip as she answered him,

[Hey, Gajeel, I have a favor to ask you…] She sent it, not sure if she should put it all in one text or not. His instant reply meant his interest was piqued.

[What's up?] She couldn't believe she was thinking of this. She didn't know him enough to ask but she felt so alone and afraid.

[What time do you go to work tonight?] Another instant reply.

[10 o'clock.] She checked the time at the top corner of her screen, the glowing numbers reading 4:31 pm. She rubbed her temple before walking into her place, moving to her bedroom and flopping on the bed. She continued staring at the last text and the time, watching it slowly tick by. Her stomach felt like it had butterflies as she pondered whether this was ok for her to ask. She began pacing, the phone's lit screen still staring back at her as she played with her bangs in frustration. Finally with a small growl, she gave in, typing out her question.

[Would it be ok if you came over, I really don't want to be alone right now.] She clicked send and tossed her phone on her bed, collapsing on it as if that took all her strength to do.

\----  
**Looking forward to hearing back from you guys :D It motivates faster posting, gihee! Hope you are enjoying the Gajevy-ness**

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Sadly, do not own Fairy Tail


	5. Movie Night

**Hello lovelies ~! I'd like to thank everyone who faved, commented, and added to their alerts~! You are my motivation :D**

**I read all my comments and reply if I can. It seriously makes me so, so happy.**

**Without further ado, here is chapter 5~!**

**Thanks to my darling hubby for reading / editing**

Legend:

[Text Messages]

_Thoughts_

\---

Gajeel leaned back on his couch with Lily in his lap, the cat purring as he was scratched behind the ears. In his right hand, his phone remained quiet, his last reply of answering when he went to work still on the screen. After a moment, it went dark, the lack of action making it go to sleep. He leaned his head back, stopping his affections on the cat and letting his arm rest. In protest, Lily jumped up on the back of the couch, rubbing his side against the man's face.

"Knock it off," he mumbled, leaning his head up to avoid being used as a back scratcher. Though the screen was off, he stared at it. With Levy suddenly asking a bunch of questions he felt something was wrong. Usually it would be about something they liked or whatnot but essentially she was asking when he was free. His phone buzzed, the notification popping up and lighting the screen. Unlocking it, he read what she asked, leaning up suddenly and scaring the cat. He was both shocked and upset at what was typed out.

[Would it be ok if you came over, I really don't want to be alone right now.] He stood and grabbed his keys, Lily close at his heels. He checked to make sure he had everything for work, his boots sounding through the condo.

"Gotta go, little buddy. Someone needs me," he said, watching the cat rub against his legs. Luckily he was wearing black pants so the hairs that Lily rubbed on him were barely visible. "That's enough, cat. I don't need to be as hairy as you." He brushed his pant leg off a bit before rubbing Lily's head. With that, he grabbed his motorcycle helmet and walked out.

\---

Levy frowned as no reply came back to her. She sat on the edge of her bed, wringing her hands in frustration. Glancing back at the phone, she regretted ever asking. She twisted towards her cell, reaching for it and instantly unlocking it to tell him forget it when a message lit the screen up.

[Already on my way.] Her face heated up at the thought of him coming over to her place. She glanced around at all the books stacked up next to her bed, frowning at the mess. Even though she knew it was a serious reason, she couldn't stop herself from feeling flustered. She began pacing, feeling an overwhelming excitement boil within her.

"What am I getting so hyped up for?" she mumbled to herself. She paused, looking out towards her mirror, her wide eyes peering back at her. "Do I…. like him?" As this thought came to her again, she watched her face turn bright red before putting her hands on either side of her face. "I mean, I barely know him…. It's just…" She started staring off in the distance, her eyes glossing over as she thought things out. A quick head shake and she refocused on the task at hand. "No time to space out. He's coming here now. I should at least change. Bad enough I feel gross from all the walking today," she wandered near her closet as she spoke, glancing at her wardrobe. A quick glance and she decided to go with a yellow t-shirt and baggy white pants, feeling something flowy would be comfortable. She left her headband on, running a hand through her hair to tame it at least a little bit. After she was all set she wandered out to her kitchen, filling her tea kettle with water to boil. She bit her lip in thought before reaching for her cabinet and pulling out some shortbread tea cookies, putting them in a small bowl to offer Gajeel once he arrived. Once again she felt her face burn at the thought that he was almost there. They had been hanging out a lot the last two weeks but to invite him over was a whole other thing. Once again, she reminded herself it was due to being afraid, feeling herself calm down as reality settled in. She nearly jumped out of her skin as a buzzer sounded through her apartment, signaling someone was at the main door downstairs. Walking over to the intercom by the door, she pressed the button to activate it. "Hello?"

"I'm here, shrimp." She closed her eyes and smiled, pushing the next button to unlock the door downstairs. She could almost hear him scale the stairs, his heavy boots sounding through the empty staircase. His knuckles rapped on the door, summoning her to open it for him. As she did, she puffed up her cheeks, making a face.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" His toothy grin greeted her,

"I dunno if you've looked in a mirror but…" he let it hang, the rest being quite obvious. "May I come in?" She stepped back, bringing her arm up as if presenting her place to him. As she closed the door he glanced around, instantly noticing tons of books, "So what's up? You seem like there is something wrong." He placed his helmet down on the coffee table before turning back to find her face completely red causing him to instantly lean forward and put his hand to her forehead. She jumped in alarm, not expecting the contact. "You feeling ok?"

"W-Why? What are you doing?" Having him this close only made her blush harder as he checked her temperature. She heard his leather jacket creak in protest as he leaned back, frowning.

"You're really warm."

"I… I'm not sick. I just didn't want to be alone. I've been feeling like someone is following me," she hid her face in her bangs as she leaned her head down, "It's freaking me out."

"And ya called me?" At his confused tone she felt like she was going to cry, regretting bothering him.

"I didn't know who else to ask. Cana is out of town and Lucy is busy. I'm sorry I bothered you." Her head snapped up as she heard him chuckle. She was greeted with his face a mere few inches away as he had leaned forward. She felt her heart jump.

"Nah, you're no bother. Ya never could be," his smile was so gentle that she couldn't help but feel at ease. He leaned back, pulling his brown jacket off. She gulped as he revealed he was wearing a red, sleeveless shirt and looked like it had a border that matched his wristbands, small studs lacing it. The collar was popped up, framing around his face. He had black baggy pants with a black leather belt around his waist and his usual black boots but these had studs around the back of the heel. She blinked rapidly as she heard him laughing again. "Gihee, see something you like?" The redness returned, her hands going over her cheeks as she moved into the living room.

"W-W-Would you like something to drink? I h-have water boiling for tea." He placed his jacket on the couch, his smile still on his face. He seemed to thoroughly enjoy her reactions.

"Water is fine."

"Ok," she said as she disappeared into the kitchen. Now alone, he took moment to look around, seeing stacks of books everywhere. Other then that, the place was tidy, nothing really seeming out of place or in disarray. He took a seat on the single chair, leaning forward. Levy returned at that time with a glass of water, presenting it to him. "Are you sure that's all?" She placed a bowl of cookies on the coffee table next to his helmet.

"Nah, this is fine. Thanks." She disappeared into the kitchen again, coming back with a mug he could only guess was tea before settling on the couch nearest him. "So how have ya been?"

"Well other than this, I'm fine. I'm probably just imagining the whole thing." He watched her space out while drinking, a grin coming over his face. Her eyes darted over, seeing the small movement.

"If ya wanted to be alone, you just had to ask." He laughed as she sputtered her tea, coughing a bit to clear her throat, "Sorry, you make it so entertaining to tease." He took a sip of his water to hide his smile. They sat in silence after that, just moving around a bit awkwardly. Levy cleared her throat, motioning to the TV that was across the room.

"Did you want to watch anything? I'm not sure what to do. I feel a little foolish for all this."

"Don't. It's fine," he said as he set his glass on the coffee table. "If it makes you feel any better, I was just sitting around in my place anyways. Just Lily to bother me."

"How is your cat," she asked, her face brightening at something to talk about. She readjusted herself in her seat so her legs were tucked under her.

"Looking for attention, as usual."

"Pretty affectionate for a cat. Usually they just avoid humans. At least any I've seen." She took a sip of her tea, leaning back into the cushions. "How did he get that scar on his face?"

"I really don't know. He had it when I found him." She raised an eyebrow, watching him pull his arms behind his head. "Took him in and he's been attached since."

"You seem to have that sort of charm," she whispered to herself. His head turned in her direction, his hair noticeably whipping around and his studded brow creasing in confusion.

"What?"

"Hmm?" She raised both eyebrows, her face reading she wasn't going to repeat what she said. "So you work tonight? Do you always work Friday nights?" He sucked his teeth as he realized she wasn't going to repeat herself. "Gajeel?"

"Yeah, I do. It's the busiest night."

"You should take off every now and then. You were all over the place the night I went. It's always like that?" She watched him nod as he seemed to space out, his arms hanging off his thighs and his gaze far off. It was like he was there already in his mind, knocking heads around. "You like brawling that much?" He refocused on her, seeing her brown eyes peering up at him over her mug.

"Tch, it's more like throwing people than fighting them. Once in awhile you get someone with balls but other than that: bunch of suits tossing their money around and thinking they are tough." He rubbed the back of his neck, his face twisted in anger. She frowned, watching him as he seemed to mentally go to his job.

"I'm sorry."

"Nah, it's ok. How about you? Things at work ok? That orange haired guy didn't show again, did he?" She shook her head, her hair fluttering about. "Anyone else from there?" Another head shake. "No one bothering ya?"

"Just this one guy," she said, taking another sip. She saw him raise an eyebrow, his body tense up like he was ready to pound whoever she was talking about. "He comes in every now and then and doesn't read anything." He scoffed, shaking his head.

"What's he do?"

"Sits around the main desk and scares the other people." She watched him blink a few times before finally narrowing his eyes at her.

"You're talking about me, aren't ya?" At this she busted into a giggle fit, leaning up to put her mug down before she spilled anything.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist the little tease," she said, wiping a tear away from the laughter. He watched her begin to calm down, an evil grin crossing his face. She blinked repeatedly as he rose from his seat, walking over and leaning down, propping himself with his arms on either side of her head, trapping her on the couch.

"Gihee, keep that up and I may have to be rough with ya," he said, watching her face light up once more. She began sputtering until he leaned up and started laughing, looking down to see her cheeks puffed up again. "Gihihihi, now **that** is teasing." She grabbed a throw pillow, tossing it at him to only hear him laugh some more. Crossing her arms over her chest, she turned her head away, pouting.

 _'He was so close, I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest,'_ she thought as she peeked a glance to see him putting the pillow in the other end of the couch. She wished she had it to hide her face. Unsure of what to do, she leaned forward and grabbed the remote, clicking the TV on and finding the movie channel. The screen showed a bunch of men jamming long-handled tasers through a cage while a man near the front screamed for gunfire. "Ah, Jurassic Park, wanna watch?" He glanced back at the screen, giving a nod before sitting next to her on the couch. She squeaked as it shifted from his weight, not expecting him to sit there. He leaned back, his legs spread as he got comfy and began watching. After a moment, he looked at her, giving her a confused face.

"Oi, what's wrong?"

"N-Nothing." She leaned back as well, watching as a man on the screen was looking over an orange gem known as amber. More than halfway through the movie, Gajeel glanced down to find Levy sleeping, looking just in time for her to subconsciously curl against him. He felt his face heat up at seeing her.

 _'So cute.'_ He leaned forward as gently as he could only to feel her grasp at his shirt, as if she knew he was moving away.

"Don't go…."

"Oi, you awake?" He was greeted with more even breathing as she leaned on him more. "Tch, sleep talking." He glanced at his phone, seeing that it was almost 7 o'clock. He really didn't want to go in tonight. Friday nights were always crazy, full of stuck up suits who had a rough week at the office. Small game for what he was always looking for. He pulled up the number to Lamia Scale, listening for a familiar voice.

"Lamia Scale, how may I direct your call?" He turned his head away to try and reduce the noise.

"Sherry, put Lyon on. It's Gajeel."

"Sure thing," she chirped, putting him on hold. The owner's voice came through almost instantly.

"Hey, boss. It's me. I can't come in tonight."

"What? Why? You're my best guy. It's Friday." He glanced down at Levy a moment.

"It's really important. Besides, flame brain and the stripper have it." There was a pause. He knew Lyon wasn't happy at all but what else was there to do.

"I guess I'll talk to you later. Hope whatever it is, is alright." Gajeel let out the breath he was holding in, knowing well this was a bad night to do this to him.

"Thanks. Talk to you soon." He ended the call, staring at the screen a moment before putting his phone on silent and in his pocket. He leaned back again, figuring he may as well watch the movie since he was trapped. This one was nearly over but the commercial stated that the second one was going to be on after so he didn't need to move unless he had to. He brought his arm up so it was on the back of the couch above Levy, resting his left arm on his thigh. At the movement, she snuggled a little closer, mumbling something before completely knocking out again. He smiled, watching her a moment before looking ahead at the TV. It was some time before Levy stirred, letting out a big yawn and stretching her arms over her head. She blinked a bit in confusion as she saw Gajeel sitting beside her still; asleep with his head down, his arm hanging off the back of the couch behind her. She glanced at the TV, a commercial blaring about more movies. She spotted the clock underneath reading 11:32 pm causing her to jump up and shake him gently.

"Oh no, Gajeel. Hey, wake up," she whispered, not wanting to startle him. Still, he woke with a start, looking around wildly before his ruby eyes landed on Levy's worried face.

"Wha… what's wrong? You ok?"

"Don't you have work? I'm sorry! This is my fault!" She grabbed her face only to have Gajeel stand and grab her wrists to get her attention.

"Oi, it's ok. I called off. Don't worry about it," he said, watching her calm down. She peered up at him, blinking a moment before realizing he did it for her. She looked down to see her hands in his, her heart beginning to race. Her face burned, thinking how he was still here so late at night. "You ok, shrimp?" She nodded rapidly, hiding her face with her hair by leaning it down. She wasn't sure what to say now. He let her hands go, rubbing the back of his neck. It seemed he wasn't sure as well. "So.. uh.. where's your bathroom?" She pointed towards the hall, afraid she would have no voice if she spoke. "I'll be right back. Thanks." Once he walked away, Levy began tidying up the cups and cookies that were on the table, trying to distract herself from the situation. Thoughts of Lucy nagging her earlier popped into her head.

 **"You going to go out with him?"** She frowned to herself as she began washing the glass he'd used. She kept rubbing it until the squeaking noise from being so clean caught her attention and she moved on to the mug from her tea.

"He's got no interest in someone like me," she murmured to herself. She placed the cups in the drying rack, staring off at nothing. She reached for a hand towel, grabbing the mug to finish drying it to put away.

"You ok?" At his question, she squeaked and jumped, dropping the mug. It shattered, the glass scattering around her feet. "Tch, sorry, don't move." He still had his boots on so as he moved towards her, the sound of the shards could be heard crunching under him. She brought her hand to her head, feeling foolish. Once he got to her, he scooped her up in his arms, walking her out to the living room. She wasn't expecting that at all, another squeak escaping her as he did it. He rested her on the couch, "Stay here. I'll get it. It's my fault." She began protesting only to meet his glare, "Stay." He glanced around the kitchen as though looking for something.

"There's a broom in the closet right there," she murmured, pointing. He nodded, retrieving it and sweeping everything up. Once he was finished and everything was away, he joined her in the living room, kneeling down and checking her feet. She began giggling at the contact. "S-Stop! That tickles!"

"Oh?" She gave him a nervous smile, seeing an evil grin forming on his face.

"Oh no you don't!" He held her left ankle, watching her squirm and laugh as she tried to escape his attack, her shirt coming up a little as she tried twisting away from him. "G-Gajeel, stop it! I give!"

 _'She is so damn cute,'_ he thought as he continued to watch her giggle like crazy. "Gihee, well this is much better."

"What do you mean," she managed out between the giggling.

"You looked upset a minute ago," he said, standing. She frowned, leaning up in the seat and straightening her clothes.

 _'He noticed that?'_ She shook her head, giving him a big smile, "I'm fine. Just a lot in my head." He frowned back, not really buying that was it but he didn't want to press. He glanced back at the clock under the TV, the red glowing numbers showing 12:13 am.

"Damn, it's late," he paused, "Well, for you." She shook her head, patting the cushion beside her for him to sit.

"It's ok. I'm alright for now. Besides, you called out for me, I'm not going to waste it on you." Hearing her say it out loud made him feel his face burn up, watching her smile sweetly and wait for him. Clearing his throat, he sat beside her, leaning forward on his knees with his arms. There was a pause of silence before he looked over his shoulder at her.

"I probably should go. You need to sleep."

"That long nap is holding me over," she said.

"Exactly. A nap. You need to actually sleep." She pouted, leaning back in the couch with her arms crossing over her chest.

"I take it you want to go," she said.

"Just not overstaying my welcome," he said while raising his hands in defense. _'Cuz I don't want to leave.'_ She let out a sigh, standing.

"Well, did you want to at least hang out tomorrow…. Well… today, I guess." He stood, moving towards the door with her, grabbing his jacket and pulling it on. He picked up his helmet, holding it with his left hand while his right fished his keys out of his pocket.

"I don't see why not," he replied as his keys were found. She turned her head away from him as a yawn attacked her, trying her best to hide it. "See?" She shook her head as another surfaced, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth.

"I'm fine," she said while rubbing her eyes. He let out a chuckle, watching her finally open the door for him. He walked out, turning back towards her to see the weariness on her face. "Maybe a little tired…." she finally admitted.

 _'She's so adorable,'_ he thought, watching her lean on the door frame a bit. Without thinking, he leaned forward, kissing her right cheek, his right hand with the keys resting a little on her arm. Realizing what he did, he froze, pulling back from her, his face only a few inches away from hers. She stared at him wide eyed, unsure that what just happened had really occurred. "Uh…" The awkward silence that followed made them both blush furiously.

 _'Oh my God, did he just… I mean… wait…'_ she was in such disarray, her face showing a blank. He noticed this, feeling maybe he messed everything up.

"I'm sorry," he blurted. _'What the hell was I thinking?! Ugh I spaced out…'_ He watched her give nothing on her face, her lack of any sort of response beginning to bother him. He shifted uncomfortably, deciding it was probably best to just walk away. As he turned to leave, he felt something tug at his jacket, turning to see her hand clutching it. She still had a wide eyed expression as though she was still processing what had happened. She stared at her hand that had him before turning her brown eyes up at him.

"Gajeel…"

"Y-Yes?" he let out a strained noise, his face heating up more. He was pretty sure he could melt something at this point. He watched as her other hand went to her cheek, her eyes glazing over. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. Forget it happened."

"No." He raised an eyebrow, turning fully towards her as she let him go. "I won't." He could feel his heart racing, afraid it might jump out of his torso as he watched her clasp her hands over her chest.

_'He kissed me. He really did… it was just my cheek but he still **did it**.. oh my, what does this mean?'_

"Your silence is driving me crazy," he finally said, watching her come back to reality.

"I'm sorry, I just…. Um… you kissed me," she murmured.

"Yeah, and I-"

"I liked it," she said while peering up at him. All at once he felt a weight lifted, trying to take control and giving her a feral grin. She hid her face with her hair again, fiddling with her bangs. "What happens now?" He brought his hand up, leaning into the door frame over her causing her to gasp and look up at him.

"You get some sleep and I'll be back later. Ok?" She smiled gently, her face still bright red as she nodded. _'Too cute.'_

"Text me when you get home, ok? I will be restless until you do."

"I told you I'll be fine on the bike," he said, "But I will." She nodded again, grabbing at the doorknob and closing it halfway to watch him. "Night, Levy."

"Good night, Gajeel." The minute she closed the door she thought she was going to faint, going to the sink to get some water to cool down. "That really happened, right?" She asked herself as she gulped down some of the cold liquid. She'd never thought that someone would ever like her, what with her keeping to herself and only focusing on work. This was so strange to her and yet, she liked it. The feeling gave her such a buzz that she didn't know was possible. She once again felt butterflies in her stomach, her body not even close to calming down. She placed the glass on the counter, walking over to the windows and pulling them open, the cool night air feeling great against her skin. She sat on the couch again, staring at the TV as it played more commercials, none of which she could hear. She was in her own world, replaying that event over in her head. And this was just a kiss on the cheek. At the thought of something more, she grabbed a pillow and hid her face in it, letting out a squeak as she fell over on the cushions. Outside, Gajeel was going through similar motions as he paced near his bike. His face was still beat red, and for a moment he felt like steam could come out of his ears.

"Man… for a second there… I thought she was going to tell me to never go near her again," he said while peering up at her window. He looked up just in time to hear it open, figuring she was letting air in. Before she had a chance to look out and see him still there, he pulled on his helmet and jumped in his bike, revving it and taking off.

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	6. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that Gajeel's made the first move, how will things play out now?

**Want to thank all you lovelies who are faving, commenting, and adding to your alerts~!**

**Thanks to my darling man for helping with editing <3 **

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Around 11 o'clock in the morning, Levy's phone went off, the image of a black cat appearing on the screen. She looked down at it wearily, leaning forward to grab it with her other arm still clutching the couch pillow. She was not able to sleep at all since Gajeel had left, her adrenaline and emotions keeping her up. She was thankful for being off for the weekend given how turned around she was. The blaring of her phone ceased as she tapped lightly on the screen, bringing it to her ear. She smiled as she answered, hearing his gruff voice greet her.

"Hello, Levy. How are you?" He also sounded like he didn't sleep. Her eyes shifted over to the clock beneath the TV, feeling as though an eternity had gone by since hearing his voice just last night.

"I'm ok. You sound a bit rough," she replied with a frown. She heard him clear his throat before coming back to talk to her.

"Nah, I'm fine. You ok for me to come over?" She glanced around the room before looking at herself. She definitely needed to shower before anything. He usually didn't take very long to get to her.

"Yeah, I just need to shower but if you want to head out I guess that's fine. I should be fast." She noticed there was a pause before he answered.

"Uh, yeah sure, I'll wait ten minutes and head out," came his reply. She raised an eyebrow, feeling there was something more but figured it would be better to ask him in person. She climbed to her feet, stretching and feeling everything hurt from sitting for so long.

"Ok, see you soon, Gajeel!" she chirped, turning her phone off and heading to her room. On the other end, Gajeel shut his phone off while bringing his other hand over his face. He glanced over at Lily who was staring at him from the arm of the couch. Now that he'd moved this relationship a tad forward, he'd almost tried envisioning her naked when she talked about showering.

"What am I going to do, Lily?" The cat merely stared at him from his perch before moving to lick his paw. Gajeel made a face, "Thanks for the help." He'd already showered and got himself together, sleep never finding him last night. He couldn't stop thinking about what he'd done, wondering what had come over him. Levy had looked so cute in her comfy clothes, all cuddled up on the couch. When he'd discovered her asleep, part of him wanted to steal a kiss then. They'd already become so relaxed with each other. It was probably what was bringing this boldness out in him. He got up from his seat, grabbing his keys, jacket, and helmet before walking out. He figured he'd just take his time while driving over there. In the meantime, Levy rushed into the bath as fast as she could, not wanting to keep him waiting once he arrived. Within ten minutes, she was out of the shower and dressed, adorning a knee-length pink, long sleeved dress with a black lace border, a black headband, and black sandals that laced up to her ankles. As she fluffed her hair in the mirror, the bell rang, prompting her to grab her small bag and head to the door. As she reached it, she paused, realizing how happy she was. The thought that he was waiting for her making her feel bubbly. With that, she hurried out, locking her place up. As she walked out she gave Gajeel a wave, a huge smile on her face. He was wearing a black, sleeveless shirt with baggy, white pants and black boots. He was leaning against his bike, putting his phone away as he saw her appear.

"Hi, Gajeel!"

_'Man, I wish I had the camera on for that,'_ he thought as she walked up to him. She gave him a quizzical look, tilting her head as he continued to stare at her, a slight tinge of red on his cheeks.

"You alright, Gajeel?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine."

"So what did you want to do? Were we going somewhere?" she asked while giving him a smile. He leaned up from his bike, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked to the right off in the distance, nervous about looking at her at first. Finally his ruby eyes meet her brown gaze, taking a breath to steel himself.

"First things, first. I know after what I did we might seem like it but I would feel better hearing it. I thought for sure I messed everything up so it would make me feel better…" he glanced at her to find her staring at him, waiting patiently, "Will you go out with me?" She went wide eyed, bringing her hand to her chest. "Will you be my girlfriend?" She felt her heart skip a beat as she peered up into his eyes, his never breaking away from hers. Her face turned bright red, her eyes stared down at the ground, a wave of anxiousness coming over her.

"Yes, I would like that very much," she answered as she looked back at him, watching him seem to relax. Her eyes moved from him to the bike, earning a laugh from him. Gajeel leaned forward, causing her to gasp.

"Looks like you're going to have to get used to riding this." He watched her give a nervous look.

"Oh dear," she said rubbing her head.

"Sorry, gihee, it's all I got." He watched her let out a sigh before reaching down and scooping her up, hearing her gasp and seating her on the bike. "So," he said, leaning on his arms on either side of her, "anywhere ya want to go today, little fairy?" She stared at him with wide eyes, clearly not expecting him to do all that. Now she was basically trapped in his arms. At that thought, she felt as her heart began to race.

_'I might have a heart attack at this rate.'_ She glanced around to try and calm down, seeing him so close making her all fluttery. He grinned, enjoying every reaction she gave him. "I'm sorry, my mind is blank right now," she finally whispered. He let out a chuckle, motioning for her to sit properly on the bike as he got on with her. She put on his helmet at his request, hearing him say something about getting her one of her own.

"Ready?" he asked while peering back at her, only to greet his visor. She tried her best to nod, grabbing him around his torso. With that, he took off, hearing her squeak at the motion. It wasn't long before they were at a park, both of them dismounting and setting the helmet on the seat. "You ok with just walking around?" He watched her steady herself from the ride before giving him a smile.

"Sure, it's beautiful out," she said while fixing her hair. She took a few steps ahead of him before stopping, turning towards him on her heel. "I guess this would be a date then, hmm?" Her face flushed as she said it, watching him do the same.

"I suppose it would," he reached out for her hand, taking it. "So anywhere ya want to go?" She took a quick glance around, spying a bench by the lake. She pointed over to it, beginning to walk with him. "So," he started as they sat, "Ya grow up in Clover Town?"

"Ah no, I don't think I told you this but I was an orphan. I grew up in Magnolia." She straightened out her dress as they settled down, looking out at the water. "I grew up in the orphanage until I was of age then I was in Onibus for awhile before coming here." He frowned, leaning his arms on his knees.

"I kinda know how that is. I was with my dad until I was nine. One day he up and disappeared. I don't know why or where but then I was also in an orphanage until the proper age," he peered up to see her staring at him with a shocked expression, tears in the corner of her eyes. "Kindred spirits, I guess." He gasped as she leaned forward, hugging him. "O- Oi!"

"We understand each other so well already," she whispered in his ear. He brought his arms up slowly, not sure whether he should return the gesture. When he finally did, he thought he was going to break her, realizing just how much bigger he was to her. They sat there for awhile before finally letting go with Levy giving him a gentle smile. She turned her gaze to the water again, seeing a small flock of geese preening their feathers as they floated along with the current. Gajeel watched her for a moment before looking out himself, leaning back and bringing his leg across so his ankle rested on his knee. They began chatting about things they did as kids from what games they would play to what they would do to annoy their caretakers. Suddenly, Levy looked over her shoulder towards the wooded area, her eyes searching. He noticed how she appeared almost frantic.

"Something wrong?"

"Can we go?" She asked while rising to her feet. Gajeel raised an eyebrow in confusion, standing as well.

"Is it something I said?"

"No, no, it's not you. I just… I feel like.. someone is there," her eyes went back to the treeline, scanning. He followed her gaze, seeing nothing but nature. The wide area of the park had a few people, mostly with dogs who were playing catch. Beyond that was mainly just forest, the lush foliage separating the park off from civilization. With the weather becoming better, it was now fully boomed with leafy greens and flowers. She began fiddling with her bangs, her eyes never leaving the scenery even as Gajeel walked closer to her. "I'm sorry."

"Nah, it's fine. Let's go." Without waiting, he took her hand and guided her back to the motorcycle. She smiled, feeling at ease that he was taking her seriously. He lifted her up on the bike before bringing his hand to his chin in thought. Levy watched him intently, tilting her head in confusion as to what it was he could be up to. His eyes seemed unfocused as he pondered what to do, his gaze finally landing on her. "It's a bit far but," he mumbled to himself, earning a strange look from her. Without warning, he grabbed the bike helmet, putting it on her head for her before mounting.

"What's going on?" came the muffled question. He merely grinned.

"Gihee, just hang on. We're going on a little trip." With that, he took off, feeling her grasp at him tight.

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After a little over an hour and with constant questioning attempts from Levy, they arrived in Magnolia. The city was bustling even this early in the day, with people walking around shopping and running errands to others just sightseeing. The large sign that welcomed them brought butterflies to Levy as she looked around as best she could. A wave of nostalgia came over her, feeling a bit at home from growing up here. She had not been back in a long time, working too much to put her life together. She held on tight to Gajeel as he rode them through the quieter part of the city, away from the main streets and further in. There were places she remembered from being a child, feeling like everything was smaller than she recalled. As they continued on, they now reached a section she wasn't familiar with, causing her to grip her escort a little tighter as though she could get lost. It wasn't long before they parked in a restaurant parking lot with Gajeel helping her off the bike. She wobbled a little from being on for so long, watching him lunge forward to steady her.

"I'm ok, sorry," she mumbled while taking off the helmet. She watched him cover his mouth as though he were trying not to laugh. She could only guess what kind of fluffy mess her hair was in. With her tiny purse still over her shoulder, Levy pulled out her headband, running her fingers through her hair to fix it before replacing the headband, the ends of it over her left ear as usual. "Better?"

"Yeah, it's fine," he replied with a smile. She turned her eyes to their surroundings, trying to figure out where they were.

"So," she started, walking beside him, "where are we?" He flashed his toothy grin, motioning for her to follow. She did, hurrying along to keep up with him given their height difference. He opened the door reading Mermaid Heel, holding it open for her. She thanked him, giving him a slight nod of the head before being greeted with an enormous fish tank in the lobby. Her eyes lit up at the sight, feeling her feet move on their own as she rushed over to glance at the tiny aquatic creatures. She was careful not to touch the surface as she peered in, watching them scatter at her presence.

"Gihee, I take it ya like it," he asked, his tone seeming as though he was proud of himself for this. She giggled, giving him a nod before looking back at the fish. Gajeel walked over to the hostess, letting her know that they were a party of two, being told they had to wait five minutes. He nodded, walking back over to Levy. He merely watched her as her eyes followed some of the tiny creatures, feeling pretty good for bringing her here.

"Redfox, party of two."

"That's us, shrimp." She pouted, following him. As they walked further in, she realized the entire place was as though it were an aquarium, multiple tanks set up throughout for viewing pleasure. Her eyes became wide as she took in their surroundings. She was so absorbed in it all she walked right into Gajeel, a squeak escaping her at contact. "Gihee, you ok?" She was almost mad at herself for it but he just let out a laugh, telling her it was cute. Still, she pouted, feeling quite foolish. It was very clear to her that her face was bright red. They were guided to the corner to a booth where Gajeel took the seat closest and Levy ended up in the one facing outward into the lobby. All along the walls was a huge tank that seemed to span most of the wall, brightly colored fish could be seen dancing around coral and other water decor. Levy became distracted as they sat down, her eyes wandering all over. It took her awhile before her gaze finally settled on Gajeel, seeing him smile while watching her. "Glad to see you're having fun."

"Well this place is amazing," she said as she saw an angel fish in the tank beside them. She smiled brightly at him as their waiter arrived, bringing them water as default. The man went over the usuals with them, receiving their drink orders before walking away. Once alone, Gajeel leaned forward with his elbows leaning on the table, a wicked grin on his face. He seemed rather pleased with himself, enjoying the fruits of his efforts. They began talking about the different fish in the tanks with Gajeel finding out that Levy was really knowledgeable in that department. The waiter turned with drinks, gathering their order and leaving them alone once again.

"You really know your fish, eh, shrimp?"

"You really like calling me that."

"Seems to fit you. Does it bother you? I'll stop." She thought about it for a moment before shaking her head, her blue hair swishing about.

"No, it's fine." He leaned his head in his hand, giving her a look. She'd pouted every time he'd said it and now she was fine. He wasn't sure he was buying it.

"Ok," he said, giving her an opening to change her mind. He gave a brief pause, "you gave me permission now. Remember that." She brought her hand up to her mouth, giggling.

"Yes, yes, I know." Gajeel asked her about any books she was currently reading, recalling all the different ones in her apartment. That got her going, her eyes lighting up as she began explaining something about some sort of mystery novel. He merely leaned back and watched, enjoying seeing her face bright with interest, her eyes wild as she explained what it was about. She began getting very into it, her hands coming up to express herself further. Gajeel didn't hear a single word. He merely sat back and thought to himself how this small woman was not afraid of him, seemed to show interest, and was now here after asking to be his. All his life he was used to being alone. Every since his father disappeared for whatever the reason, he'd learned that being strong was the way to survive. He learned to fight and used his large and intimidating appearance to help himself with a lot of situations that could have ended badly; if need be he used the essence of fear. Yet here was this little blue haired fairy sitting with him, enjoying his company. And if he didn't know any better, even before he'd asked her, she had shown interest in liking him. He focused again on her hands, seeing her try and use motions to explain whatever plot point she was talking about. Part of him felt bad for not listening but he'd figure a way through it. As if silently hearing his plight, the waiter returned with their food, placing each hot plate before them. Gajeel thanked the man for way more than he was aware of before glancing at the small woman before him. She was peering at her dish, a large soup resting before her emitting wisps of steamy smog. She beamed at him before asking him something, tilting her head when he didn't reply.

"Gajeel?" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the waiter had not left yet, the young man a little too close to Levy for his liking. Perhaps he was overreacting. The man asked if anything else was needed, receiving a grunt from him and a 'no thanks' from Levy. Now they were alone again, the confines of the booth making it like they were in their own world. Once again, Levy tried getting his attention, now showing concern at his lack of response. He jolted, shaking his head and mumbling an apology. "Are you alright? I was asking if you liked reading." He let out a scoff before grabbing his fork to start digging into his noodles.

"I would think at this point you would know I didn't go to the library for the reading, shrimp," he gave her a feral grin, watching her face turn red. She turned her attention towards her soup, unsure what to say after something like that. Her reactions always entertained him, making him want to pester her on purpose to get a rise out of her. He continued staring at her, his fork lingering in his mouth as the taste of the metal tingled his tongue. His heated stare only made her warmer, feeling like he was looking into her soul. She glanced up to see him in a sort of daze, her eyes darting back down to her food. She started eating, hoping he would wake up from his daydream soon. Gajeel blinked a little, shaking his head as if to clear it before removing his fork. He hoped she didn't realize that he had spaced out, continuing to eat in silence. Occasionally, he would glance up to find her cooling the broth by blowing on it, the sight of her pursed lips making him think of feeling them against his own. He could feel his face heat up, turning his eyes away and towards the fish tank in the wall. He was thankful for the visual distraction. They finished their food, letting the waiter know that they were done and ready to go. After Gajeel took care of everything, they left, returning to the motorcycle.

"Thank you, Gajeel. That was amazing," she smiled up at him, tilting her head as she did.

"It's no problem. Glad ya liked it. Really need to get back though. I have work tonight," he said rubbing the back of his neck. There was no way he was going to bail out two nights in a row on his guys. As the head bouncer of the club, he had a bigger responsibility than the others. Besides, all this tension with her made him want to let loose and vent it out. Not that he was going to let her know it. Good thing he liked baggy pants. At the thought, his eyes darted down really fast to eye her legs and tush as she turned her back to him and reached for the bike helmet. He hid his face as he pulled out his phone, looking down at it and hoping his hair covered him enough. He was really glad she would be sitting behind him. Though the thought of her thighs on either side of him had him groaning inwardly to himself. All the while she was fixing the helmet on while facing away from him, not a clue in the world. He cleared his throat, asking if she was all set. He watched her turn towards him, the helmet way too big for her and rolling around as it tried to escape. It made her look like a bobble head that has just been poked. Her hands came up to steady it, her muffled voice reaching his sharp hearing.

"Yes, trying not to drop this thing."

"We'll get you one that fits, shrimp. No worries," he said, putting his phone away. She attempted to put her hands on her hips but had to reach up to steady it again. He could swear he heard her huff in there, the noise being very low. He patted the seat, watching her hop up onto it. He loved how tiny she was, seeing her feet not even come close to touching the ground while on that thing. After they both settled on, he started it up, telling her to hold on tight before beginning their journey home. Gajeel decided he would tease her a little, weaving between cars a little faster than usual, feeling her put a death grip on him. He loved how it felt, her small arms clinging onto him, her thighs squeezing him for extra support. Once again dirty thoughts plagued him, feeling his pants grow tight. This made the trip back seem so much longer than it really was, her apartment finally coming into view. Once they stopped he helped her down, taking the helmet from her and trying to bite back a laugh at her hair again. He guessed that due to the extra space and movement it was easier to ruffle her hair about. She smoothed out her blue stands and fixed her dress from the crazy ride before, smiling at him.

"I had a great time, Gajeel. Thank you so much."

"No problem, shrimp. It was fun. I'd walk you up but I really should be going. I have to get ready." She brought her hands behind her back and rolled on her heels, knowing better but wishing he would still do it. She studied his face, seeing it was red. She figured the wind probably did it given she had taken his headgear. She watched him lean forward, grabbing her right hand and bringing it to his lips. Feeling them touch her skin gave her a chill, goosebumps crawling down her arm and partly down her legs. He seemed to have noticed this, his toothy smile showing. "Gihee, I'll text you, ok?" She nodded, her face showing she was in a bit of a daze from his actions. Letting her go, he pointed towards the door, waiting. Blinking a bit as though she were breaking from a spell, she gave him a cheerful wave, telling him to be careful tonight. "It's the other guy who needs to watch out," he mumbled to himself as he stared at her ass as she walked away. Upon opening the main door, she twisted around, just missing him checking her out to wave goodbye. As she disappeared inside, Gajeel noticeably slouched, his energy drained. "I think she might kill me," he mumbled, looking around before adjusting himself. He shook his head, his dark mane fluttering about before he finally put on his helmet and took off.

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**And that wraps up chapter 6 :)**

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	7. An Annoyance

**Hello lovelies, hope you are enjoying the story thus far. Thanks to all who give me any sort of feedback, I adore it and push me to update quicker~!**

**Want to thank the new peeps who faved me or this story, hope you enjoy your time here gihee~!**

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The loud music pumped throughout the Lamia Scale, pulsing through it's walls and floors with sweaty bodies twisting and swaying to the beat. Tons of people danced the night away, screaming at each other just to speak and drinking until they forgot. Gajeel resided against the wall closest to the bar, his body hidden within the shadows as he observed stuffy suit types attempt to bait young woman into sitting with them. If it was ever the other way around it would usually be older women after younger men but they were a little more subtle about it. Either case disgusted him as he watched over and over again people give in or get into a huff. At the current moment he was watching a blonde male try and sweet talk a woman who had clearly dyed her hair pink and chose to wear something that screamed 'yes please' when all she was giving him was the cold shoulder. He said something to her before promptly grabbing her ass, earning a yelp and slap. When that wasn't to his liking he grabbed her arm only to have his wrist almost crushed by the crimson eyed male. Gajeel enjoyed the cry of pain that exploded from the blonde before telling Pink to leave. She proceeded to give the blonde man the finger before stalking off to find someone more her type. Gajeel knew he'd find her again before the night was over but until then... He twisted the wrist back, forcing the man to look at him.

"I think you've had enough tonight. Why don't you go home to your wife?" At hearing that, Blondie's eyes widened, his nostrils flaring in anger that Gajeel knew about anything in his personal life. He'd seen this guy before, always coming in to whine while Juvia kept pouring his drinks. "I'll give you fair warning: I'm looking for a good fight tonight." At the devilish grin and nasty look in the dark haired male's eyes, Blondie didn't want to risk anything, sputtering about going home. Gajeel frowned, hoping this was the fix he'd needed. Releasing his hold, he watched as Blondie raced off while cuddling his wrist. Crossing his arms over his chest, Gajeel did a quick scan of the immediate area before returning to his spot. Natsu appeared by his side, a wide, childish grin across his features.

"You don't usually bother with small fry like that," he commented, looking for any sort of visual twitch. He watched as only Gajeel's eyes slid over, a glare across his face. Natsu merely kept smiling, knowing how grumpy the male got when he was itching to fight. "You usually send one of us."

"What's yer point, flame brain?"

"Nothing," he replied back with a shrug. Gajeel didn't know what pissed him off more: that he didn't really have a reason or that he didn't engage and open a potential fight with him. Verbal, of course. Lamia Scale couldn't have it's muscle beating the hell out of each other. Natsu and Gray would get pretty close at times but they would usually take it outside to cool down. Gajeel huffed and brought his glare back out to the dance floor, eyeing a woman harassing another. Gajeel snapped his fingers towards the Sakura colored male, pointing him where to go. Natsu gave a half assed salute before heading out. As he watched Natsu settle the fight, someone walked up beside Gajeel, leaning on the wall next to him.

"Hey, boss, how's it going," he said without looking. Lyon Vastia fluffed his bangs out of his eyes, his white strands merely falling right back where they started. Gajeel scrunched his nose, "You need to stop wearing that shit, it burns my nose and it's not like Juvia likes it."

"Shut up. She likes it," he snapped back.

"You and I both know that's bull." They stood there in silence a moment, watching the chaos before them. Heavy beats thundered through their feet while people danced and grinded against one another. The air was stale with sweat and the strong aroma of alcohol.

"So everything ok with you?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…. Thanks for looking out," he said, his eyes scanning the darker parts of the establishment. He tensed at hearing a woman screech but she was merely laughing obnoxiously due to alcohol consumption, leaning over a friend as they all did a toast. Lyon leaned over a bit so he could be in his line of sight.

"Good. Listen, we got some big wig coming in again. First time he was here it was unexpected but he says he likes it here and wants a private man watching his table." Gajeel made a face, his expression tired and irritated. Lyon knew he hated rich people, always feeling they were entitled and he couldn't really lay a hand on them. He moved to protest as he sensed where this was going until he was cut off, "He specifically asked for you. Behave. He'll be here within the hour." With that, Lyon moved towards the bar, letting himself behind the counter as he began conversing with Juvia as she poured drinks to the patrons. Gajeel sucked his teeth in annoyance and as he thought about it more he finally let out a long groan while pinching the bridge of his nose. He growled deep in his throat and turned his body, fighting the urge punch the wall. Unfortunately he was at the wall along the bar so he had to remind himself that there was stone behind the thin sheet rock. He took out his phone to distract himself, finding a picture of Levy from earlier. He couldn't stop himself from sneaking the shot, scolding himself and noting he needed to delete it before she found it. The image of her leaning over his bike made him light headed and swell in other places. He jumped at the mention of his nickname.

"You must be Kurogane," came a voice. It meant 'black steel' given to him by coworkers for his wild black hair and piercings. Now it was known throughout the club, a name people had learned to fear. Gajeel turned his gaze towards the stranger, putting his phone away in his pocket as he eyed the short, blonde man before him. He was very lean with blue eyes and a sort of rounded haircut, the part coming over his left eye. He wore a white suit with gold trim with a red rose on the breast pocket.

"And you are?"

"You are addressing Lord Kreem, show some respect!" the men beside him tensed up, their body language telling Gajeel that they were packing heat.

_'Must be the guy Lyon was just talking about. Here a little sooner than expected,'_ he thought as he eyed up the situation. The dark haired man crossed his arms, leaning on his side against the wall, _'so this is who I'm fucking babysitting….'_ Kreem could see that Gajeel wasn't impressed at all, bringing his hand up to flick his bangs aside.

"We were informed you were to show us to your best table. Last time, we were among the riff raff."

_'Oh….. so he's like **that.** '_

"Well?" he grinned, knowing Gajeel had no choice in the matter. Pushing off the wall, the dark haired male motioned for them to follow, bringing them over to the VIP tables. He brought his hand up as if presenting them, his face still showing a blank expression. "You will stay nearby at all times, understood?" Every fiber in Gajeel's body wanted to rip this guy to shreds, the little creep's aura just oozing 'I'm better than you and I can do what I want.' He took a breath, reminding himself that Lyon told him to take care of this guy. He settled for leaning against the wall behind them, grunting in response to what was last said to him. Hours of Kreem sneering at the low lives and drinking fruity alcohol had Gajeel sick to his stomach. What was a guy like this doing in such a place anyway? His phone giving off a buzz made him jump, his hands fishing it out and unlocking it to find a message from Levy.

[How's work, Gajeel? Hope you are ok.] He smiled at the message though at the same time he glanced at the corner of his phone, the numbers reading nearly 2 am.

[I'm fine, shrimp. What the hell are you doing up?] The reply was almost instant, meaning she was probably staring at her phone, waiting.

[I missed you and couldn't sleep.] The message included a picture of her in bed, her hair a mess with her yellow shirt on and a book across her chest as if she had been engrossed in a story. That did it. He brought his hand up to run through his hair, feeling his face heat up a bit. His eyes darted towards the group of assholes in front of him. He thought for a second that Kreem was watching him but he shrugged it off.

[Miss ya too but you really need to go to sleep. Put the book down. Really busy. Talk to you in the morning. ;) ]

"Kurogane, why not take a seat with me? You've been standing this whole time." Gajeel's glare returned as he put his phone away.

"No thanks, I'm fine here." Kreem pointed to the seat beside him again.

"I said sit." Growling, Gajeel did as he was told, knowing Lyon would kill him if he pissed this VIP off. Still, his pride responded to the demand even as he sat down.

"Let's get one thing straight: I ain't your fucking dog. What the hell do you want from me?" Kreem merely smiled while taking a sip from his glass, the sweet smelling alcohol bothering Gajeel's nose.

"From you? Nothing. Just offering a place to rest." The dark haired man grunted while leaning back in the chair, drumming his fingers on his legs in annoyance.

_'Such bullshit,'_ he thought as he watched the prissy blonde stare at people.

"You collect anything, Kurogane?" Gajeel whipped his head around, a look of bewilderment on his face.

"The fuck…. What are you prattling on about?"

"I love collecting beautiful things. Gems, silks, weapons…," he took a sip before finishing, "works of art." He raised a pierced eyebrow, wondering where this was going.

"And?"

"It's a passion of mine! Don't you have something that drives you forward. That gets you out of bed everyday, piques your interest?" His thoughts instantly went to Levy, her bright smile filling his mind's eye and causing him to smirk without realizing. "So you do." His glare returned. That was nothing he wanted to share with this dweeb.

"You have a point?"

"Just making conversation," he said before taking another sip of his beverage. He placed the empty martini glass upside down on the table, brushing himself off before standing. His men stood with him, their hands close to their sides as if something was about to happen. Gajeel remained seated, determined to be a rebel until the end. "Well, this has been a lovely evening. I must say I may find myself at your establishment again in the future."

"By all means," Gajeel replied with a nonchalant shrug. He was determined not to show that this guy bothered him, that the whole time he was here all he wanted to do was wring his scrawny neck. Giving an almost creepy smile, Kreem took his leave, his lapdogs close behind. Gajeel propped his feet up in the seat Kreem had just occupied, bringing his arms behind his head as he sensed Lyon approach. "I dunno if I wanna fucking talk to you right now."

"That bad, hmm?"

"Don't ever do that to me again," he bit out, refusing to look at him.

"I told you: he asked for you," Lyon said while rolling his eyes. Gajeel continued to stare out at the crowd on the dance floor, his mind going elsewhere as he wondered about Kreem's visit.

_'Yeah, but why?'_ he thought. He stood up, waving his hand dismissively. "You should be good for the rest of the night. I'm outta here." He started walking around his boss, pausing at hearing his name.

"Gajeel…" He leaned towards him, his red eyes glaring dangerously into black.

"I said I'm going home. You can watch prissy pants next time and wonder why you're tired after," he growled, watching Lyon give him a blank look. The white haired male shrugged, giving him a nod.

"Just don't want you mad at me."

"Give me someone to fight, then I'll feel better," he said, waving him off as he left. Gajeel was greeted by the cool night air, a wonderful reprieve from the stuffy atmosphere of inside. He took a deep breath, hoping his body would unclench from the urge to hit someone. Pulling his keys from his pocket, he turned his head, nodding a goodnight to Elfman who was at the door before walking down the street. After about two blocks of walking, he made a turn onto a random street with a diner, the large, bright sign reading '8 Island.' He paused a minute before putting his keys back in his pocket and walking in, instantly sitting himself down at the corner booth, drumming his fingers on the tabletop. A white haired waitress came up with a coffee, her hair cut short and her wide, blue eyes looking him over.

"Tough night, Gajeel? You're in here a little early." He let out a grunt, reaching for the sugar as she set down a tiny pitcher of milk for him. Sliding into the other side of the booth, she leaned forward, attempting to get him to look at her. "Come on now. Did my brother do anything wrong? Is that why you won't talk to me?"

"Just not in the mood, Lisanna. Your brother is fine. He's still there," he grumbled as he stirred in milk. She continued to watch him, looking for subtle hints of what was wrong. Finding him to be stone faced and tight-lipped she decided to attack him on another front.

"So," she began, waiting for the big show, "Big sis tells me you have a girl." She watched him sputter up his drink, a series of coughs claiming him. She leaned back and laughed, holding her sides and wiping away a tear, "Now I know it's true! You never react like that!" He made a face, reaching for a napkin to clean up. "I'm sorry, Gajeel, it's not often I get to tease you." She watched him silently finish cleaning up the splatter before making eye contact. That stopped her as she saw a quiet rage behind his stare. "Really, really bad night, huh?" She gave him an apologetic smile, feeling a little bad for the teasing. Only a little.

"Some prissy pants, big shot needed babysitting and I got the short straw. Hope he never shows ever again," he grumbled as he attempted another sip of his drink. Lisanna shook her head, unsure what to say that wouldn't piss him off further. She decided silence was best until her boss scolded her from behind the counter for not doing anything. She patted his shoulder before running off to greet other patrons. Gajeel brought the spoon to his mouth again, enjoying the taste of the metal until his eyes landed on who was at the entrance. He knew he had seen him before but he couldn't quite place it. The dark blue haired man followed Lisanna to the diner counter, taking a seat and receiving a menu. Gajeel began tapping his foot in annoyance, his mind trying to recall where he'd seen this guy. Frustrated, he turned his gaze outside, noticing that it was starting to drizzle. He frowned as it meant he would have to be careful riding home. Once again his crimson eyes darted over to sneak a peek, his brain telling him nothing. Grabbing his wallet, Gajeel left money on the table before starting to walk out, stopping at the counter to say hello to the owner. "Yajima, you have a good night." The diner owner gave him a smile, waving as he hurried to the back into the kitchen. Out of the corner of his eye, Gajeel was able to see a small X looking tattoo over the midnight blue haired male's right eye. Figuring he would remember later, he walked out, finding his bike parked out back. Mr. Yajima would let him park there to help protect his ride from angry bar patrons. In return, Gajeel would help him out whenever he needed, whether it was dealing with nasty people who would try to bother or vandalize his place or as simple as help with heavy work. Either way, sometimes there was a better fight here than at the club due to people thinking there was no one here who could stand up to them. Oh how he would relish those few times where he would scare the hell out of some poor bastard who thought they only had the little old man to deal with. Gajeel pulled on his helmet, starting up his bike and taking off into the night.

\---

**Oh hoho~! What's this? A twist?**

**I really hate Kreem's name. It's a little too comical to be taken seriously but his personality fits what I am looking for. There have been numerous times I was considering giving him a made up first name to use that but then it felt like I would be taking away your mental image of the blonde. For those who might not know, he is the main villain in the first FT movie**

**Just going to leave it, I suppose.**

**I write these on my phone using Google Docs so it looks longer. Really hate how short this is but I like to break them at certain points, perhaps with your encouragement I can get the next one up faster :D**

**Please let me know in the comments how you feel, looking forward to talking to you guys :D**


	8. A Night to Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lot of things going on at Lamia Scale this evening...

**Hello lovelies, here with another chapter. Posting this in honor of this story hitting 2500 views(on FF.net) (thank you~!), looking forward to hearing from you all.**

**It's my motivation and makes me so happy.**

**Thanks to my sexy man for helping with editing~!**

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The next few weeks were a complete blur between work and getting the chance to hang out with each other. It was Friday and Gajeel was currently at Levy's place on the couch. He was sprawled out on his back with his head in her lap as they watched TV. Well, at least Levy was as she ran her fingers through his hair and put him into a lull. The TV blared as the height of the movie creeped up. Pirates of the Caribbean was on, the character Captain Jack Sparrow was running for his life from the enemy. Levy let out a small laugh, continuing her assault on his scalp. Gajeel was in heaven, her nails scratching an itch he didn't know he had and with the occasional rubbing, he was borderline passing out which suited him just fine. Over the course of the month, work had been killing him with that pompous asshole Lord Kreem showing up every weekend, mainly Fridays. Every time, he asked for Gajeel and every time the crimson eyed male would have to endure the company of the spoiled brat. It still baffled him why such a snotty, rich man would even bother with places like that. Plus, he always had his armed escort so he felt it was a waste for him to be there. It really irked him that he was requested for each visit.

_'Maybe I should request time off,'_ Gajeel mused as he stared up at the ceiling and Levy with half lidded eyes. His eyes fluttered closed, his hands resting on his chest. It wasn't long before the arm furthest away from Levy slipped and caused her to jump slightly, realizing he'd passed out. She smiled softly, keeping up her attack on his head. After a short while, he let out a grumble, rolling over on his side so he was facing her, his arms wrapping around himself as though he were hugging himself. With being sleepy and him wearing a sleeveless shirt, he might have been cold but she was stuck as he continued using her lap as a pillow. Levy let out a squeak at the shift that ended up with his head borderline in her stomach. She froze for a minute until she felt he was finished moving, bringing her hands up to play with his hair. As she began again she watched his face soften, the scowl that had found its way there melting away. She knew work was really killing him lately, having told her only that some big shot kept coming in like he owned the place. She recalled him muttering something about someone named Lyon and how he felt like he was 'selling him.' Though she wasn't sure on the details, she wanted to help him when she could. Thus, the massaging. He'd always tell her not to but once she was able to get a hold of him he would no longer have the ability to speak to tell her to stop. She loved how she could make this big, strong guy melt at her touch. As if on cue, he let out a groan, the sound sending a shiver through her body. She caught herself staring at his lips, feeling her face heat up. He yawned, his fangs showing and tears appearing at the corners of his eyes from the strain. His gloved hand came up to rub them gently before dozing off again. All the while, Levy could feel her body temperature increase regardless of her light wear of shorts and a t-shirt. She didn't realize she was biting her bottom lip in thought.

_'He looks so cute sleeping,'_ she mused, patting his head softly. She brought her eyes back up to the TV, trying to use the distraction to calm herself down. She really hoped he couldn't hear her heart beating as she was sure it was close to coming out of her chest. She took a deep breath, attempting to calm herself. Doing this, she failed to see movement in her lap.

"Something wrong, shrimp?" Levy practically screamed, her hand flying to grasp at her chest. Her eyes darted down to find Gajeel giving her an evil grin, his expression showing that he might be up to something. While she was stunned, he took a moment to breathe deep, taking in her scent. _'She always smells like flowers.'_

"Don't do that, Gajeel! You scared me! Stupid..." she puffed her cheeks and looked away, angry at him for startling her. He let out his distinct laugh, leaning up and into her face, leaning on his right arm over her lap and along her legs. He brushed against her skin, her black shorts coming up a little at his movements. As she looked back, she gasped at finding him inches from her face. Her back pressed fully against the cushions, leaving her trapped within his arms. He was so close that she could feel his breath on her skin. His eyes were staring into hers, making her feel even warmer as she was sure her entire face was beat red. He scanned her face before pulling back, twisting around so he was sitting properly beside her. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in, bringing her hand up to move her bangs out of her eyes. _'He was so close….'_ Levy glanced at him from the corner of her eye, watching him lean forward to grab the glass of water that was set on the coffee table. She watched him lean back, his neck muscles moving as he gulped the liquid down. Once he was finished, his gaze caught hers, a grin forming on his face.

"Everything ok?" He gave her a half lidded look, as though he was plotting something. His expression caught her off guard. Without a doubt in her mind, he was messing with her. He'd often enjoy anything she would do in terms of reacting to him, big or small.

"Y-yes. I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Gajeel leaned forward and grabbed the remote, clicking off the TV before placing it back down along with the glass. He scooted over to his left, closing any gaps between them. Her breath hitched in her throat as she felt his leg come into contact with hers and his arm going around her back. He brought his right hand up to rest on her chin, pulling her face towards him slightly.

"You seem nervous," he whispered. She continued to watch him with wide eyes, not expecting all the contact and closeness. Levy knew for certain now that he could hear her heart. There was no way he didn't. As he started leaning in, she was sure she was going to faint from the overload of emotions. Just before contact was made, the bell sounded throughout the apartment signaling someone was at the main door for Levy. The blue haired female screeched at the sound, clutching at Gajeel's green shirt and hearing him chuckle. Inside though, he wanted to strangle whoever it was at the door that stopped him. He watched her slowly come back to reality before she mumbled an apology and jumped up to check the intercom. He listened for the reply as Levy answered the bell, hearing nothing come through. Raising an eyebrow, Gajeel climbed to his feet, walking over to see Levy scratching her head in confusion. "What is it?"

"No one is answering."

"I'll go check the front," he replied, reaching forward to stop her as she moved towards the door. She made a face, nodding and watching him head out while telling him to be careful. As he went down the stairs, he cracked his knuckles, bracing himself for whatever punk picked the wrong place to pull a prank. He opened the door, glancing around to find no one around. His eyes scanned the area further out, looking for any movement of someone who might have been in waiting to see who would answer the door, making sure he had his most pissed off expression to make them think twice about doing it again. With no one around and no sort of package left behind, he assumed it was someone messing around and closed the door, heading back up. "Stupid bastards have terrible timing," he muttered as he jogged back up. As he did, he glanced at his phone, muttering an oath as he saw how late it was in the evening. He was going to have to head out for work soon. He could feel his energy drain at the thought of having to deal with the weekend idiots and possibly that blonde little schmuck. He rubbed his forehead, letting out a groan as he reached her door and walked in.

"Everything ok? Who was it?" he heard from the kitchen. Levy's head appeared from around the corner, her wide, curious eyes bringing a smile back to his face. He closed the door, giving a nonchalant shrug while putting his phone away.

"No one. Probably someone pulling a prank. They should be lucky I didn't catch 'em." He watched her face light up as she disappeared back into the kitchen. Knowing why she was behaving that way, he grinned, running a hand through his hair. His eyes caught a glance at the clock on the wall, his scowl returning once more. "So I have to get going. It's getting late and I have to get ready for work."

"Wow, is it that time already," she called from the kitchen. He started walking over when he heard the clang of what seemed like silverware hitting the floor. As he circled around he found Levy on the floor under the small table that was in there, on her hands and knees to collect the runaway forks.

_'Oh my God, for the love of...'_ Cue his turn to blush as he watched her reach for the cutlery. He coughed into his fist and turned away, afraid of what reflexive action he might have done seeing her like that. From her point on the ground, Levy gave a devilish grin, climbing to her feet.

_'Messing with me before. Two can play that game,'_ she thought as she saw him try to collect himself. As she stood, she adjusted her top and smoothed out her shorts before returning to the sink to rewash what she had dropped. The sound of rushing water made Gajeel feel it was safe to look once again, finding her putting all the dishes away from the drying rack. It still felt like someone had turned the heat on full blast.

"Ahem, yeah so I guess I will see ya tomorrow or something," he said while leaning against the doorframe into the kitchen. He crossed his arms over his chest, hoping his heart calmed down before she turned towards him. She grabbed the dish rag that was hanging near the front rack, patting her hands dry before placing it back. Content with everything being put away, she turned to Gajeel seeing him staring into the distance. A wave of her hand and he was back, looking down at her with a small smile. They walked back into the living room, the sway of Levy's hips distracting him. She stopped and turned back to him, her arms gently crossed over her chest.

"I hope nothing crazy happens," she said, tilting her head as she looked up at him. "Your job is so dangerous. I don't think I could ever imagine doing it." He barked out a laugh, unable to contain it at the thought.

"Sorry, shorty, we don't have any step ladders for you to reach 'em," he ducked back as she moved to smack him, more laughing escaping him. She stomped her foot, putting her hands on her hips when she realized she wasn't going to catch him. Her pouting only made him laugh harder, finding her expression absolutely adorable.

"Gajeel Redfox! Why are you so mean to me?"

"That's not mean. It's playful banter," he stated with a chuckle. When she felt he thought he was safe she tried again, his hand flying up to catch her wrist. Not expecting the stop, she tripped forward and into his arms, freezing at feeling her body pressed against his. Her face which was red with anger only became brighter at feeling his arms around her. They'd held each other before but with his early teasing still fresh in her mind her eyes instantly went to his lips as he steadied them both. "...vy," what was that? "Levy?" Oh, Gajeel was talking to her.

"What?"

"I was asking if you were ok," he replied. She nodded numbly, enjoying the feel of him holding her. He helped his blue fairy to her feet, being sure to not let go until she was holding herself up. Not sure if he trusted it, Gajeel kept his left arm around her waist. As his boot slid back for better footing, what he didn't realize was that the previous movements had bunched up the area rug that was under the coffee table. His foot caught on it, tripping him on his back while taking Levy with him. A loud bang sounded through the room as Gajeel's head crashed on the hardwood floor. A string of oaths left his mouth as he clutched his head, feeling the world spin around him. He was barely aware that Levy was straddling him as she tried to check if he was alright. At least for a moment.

"Gajeel?! Gajeel, are you ok?" She desperately grabbed at his wrists to try and pull them away to check his head. All the while, he had a perfect view of down her shirt, her blue bra cradling her breasts. "Can you hear me?" His eyes darted upward, meeting her brown eyes filled with concern. When he finally focused on her, she let out a sigh of relief, nestling down on him. That was when he watched her freeze up. There was no hiding what was pressing against the fly of his beige pants, especially with her sitting on him like she was. Her face lit up, a look of surprise coming over her. "Um… so you're ok?" she whispered. It was his turn to just nod, afraid he would have no voice should he try to speak. He wasn't sure what to do now. It was quite clear that she knew what was going on.

_'Fuck it,'_ he thought as he grabbed her face and pulled her towards himself. A small gasp escaped her until his lips pressed against hers, the noise becoming smothered between them. He felt her relax, taking that as a sign that she was ok with this before putting a hand on the back of her head. Levy felt her heart hammering against her ribcage, feeling lightheaded from the excitement.

_'He almost tastes… metallic,'_ she mused as she let out a small whimper. Just as they came up for air, a voice sounded over the intercom, bringing them back to reality.

"Levy, are you alright up there? I heard a crash." The blue haired female seemed to pale as she sprang up from her 'seat' and raced to the speaker. Gajeel heard the soft click as she held the button down to reply, saying she fell and she was ok. "Alright, just wanted to check. It was really loud."

"Sorry, Mr. Makarov!" From his position still on the floor, Gajeel peered down himself to see Levy turn her back to the wall and slide down to sit on the ground. A huge sigh escaped her, her hand coming up to rub her forehead. "If I didn't answer, he would have come up here." Content with that answer, the crimson eyed man nodded, turning his gaze to the ceiling. After a moment of silence, he heard her shuffle around to find her crawling over to him. As his fairy got close, he leaned up, supporting himself on his elbows. "A-are you ok?" She felt her face heat up as only his eyes moved towards her, her heart skipping a beat from the intense look he was giving her.

"I'm fine," came his reply, "Are you?" She knew what he was talking about, feeling herself reflexively gulp at the thought. He braced himself for any repercussions for what he did, only to find her look at him through half lidded eyes. He kept himself still, wanting her to make the next move, regardless of what it might be. The silence was once again pierced as his phone blared from his pocket, causing them both to jump in alarm. With a grumble he fished it out, happy to hear her giggle about it. "What?" he snapped as he answered, not happy to see his boss's face on the screen. "Yeah... I know... Then call Sting." Levy climbed to her feet as she heard him talk, checking to make sure everything was in place. No clothing in disarray. He bent his right knee, leaning more on his left arm as he looked up at the ceiling as if there was someone to save him up there. "You know I'm coming in already... Lyon..." He pinched the bridge of his nose just above his piercings, a soft growl escaping him. "I'll be there soon. Yes. Ok, bye." The urge to throw his phone resonated strongly within him but he told himself neither his phone or whatever he could have broken in here deserved it. Instead he resorted to gripping the device tightly before looking at the female in his presence. "Sorry. He freaks out about nothing sometimes."

"Sounds like he'd be lost without you," she said with a chuckle, offering a hand to help him up. He almost laughed at the thought of her trying to help him up, tempted to take her hand just to watch. An evil grin found its way in his face as he reached up, yanking her down the instant she took it. "G-Gajeel!" She found herself almost laying on her stomach between his legs with her head ending at his chest as she peered up at him. His hair was a mess, his bangs falling into his eyes from his usual slicked back look.

"Any chance I can try that again?" he whispered, dragging his fingers along her jaw. Her eyes fluttered at the touch, enjoying feeling his strong hands on her. She rested on her hands and knees as he bent forward, his right hand coming up to cradle her face as his lips brushed hers. She felt his tongue glide over her bottom lip, a silent question to which she answered by opening her mouth and greeting his with her own.

_'Definitely like metal,'_ she thought as she let him explore with his tongue. The loss of air was making her dizzy, the both of them pulling back with a small gasp. Her dazed look was absolutely precious, making him want nothing more than to keep going. The nagging in the back of his mind told him he had to leave. It pissed him off like nothing in his life, even that stupid brat. He came back to reality when he noticed Levy frowning.

"What's the matter?"

"You're scowling. Did I do something wrong?" His eyes nearly came out of his head as he leaned up, sitting up fully.

"No way in hell. Sorry, I was just regretting that I have to go," he said gently. He saw her relax, letting out a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry ya."

"I was just feeling really stupid for a second there," she mumbled. He brought his hand underneath her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"Don't ever feel that way. Sorry," he replied with a light kiss to her cheek.

_'Good, cuz I'm almost certain the rest of him was pretty happy,'_ she thought as her eyes darted towards his hips for a moment before beginning to climb to her feet. "So," she started as she turned towards him. Her train of thought was cut off as she noticed him turn away from her, clearly fixing himself.

"So," he prompted, earning another dazed look from her.

"What?" When did it get so warm in here? Her eyes glanced at the windows, seeing them wide open, the breeze wafting in and dancing with the curtains. His eyes caught a look at the clock, hating what it said.

"Tch, dammit. I really have to get going. I'll be late," he grounded out. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling it all fall right back where it was.

"Ok. Well…." she had no idea what to say. Her mind was blank, thoughts of feeling his lips on hers freezing her up.

"I really don't want to run out."

"No, no, it's ok. It's not like you are running away from me or something….. right?"

"Never," he said while looking directly into her eyes. Hearing him talk like that brought her some ease, wishing they could have more time. It was then that it occurred to her, they had all the time in the world. He was only going to work. "I'll talk to you later, alright?" The smile that greeted him made him feel like he was on top of the world. Her eyes sparkled, the love glittering in them making him feel like he could take on anything. "Don't stay up late."

"No promises," she said while rolling her eyes. He raised a studded brow in curiosity before heading to the door. Before walking out he caressed her cheek, earning a contented sigh. Pulling on his sleeveless trench coat, he gave her a wink before beginning his walk down the steps. The moment he left she raced to the window, watching him exit the building and grab his helmet before mounting his bike. She pulled at the window, opening it up further and feeling the cool evening breeze pour into her room. Leaning on her elbows, she peered down to watch him. As though sensing her, Gajeel glanced upward over his shoulder, his fangs flashing as he smiled up at her.

\---

As the night life in Lamia Scale reached its peak, Gajeel was pretty damn sure nothing could break his good mood. People weren't acting up, Lyon told him that sales were going great, and still no sign of that little asshole Kreem. All this and he had the cutest little lady safe and sound at her home. He walked up to the bar, leaning over to get Juvia's attention to which she instantly noticed. He and Juvia had been friends for as long as he could remember, knowing that no matter what they had each other's back. She smiled as she walked up, her dark eyes keeping a lookout for her crush. He asked her for water before pointing over to the far side of the club, knowing exactly what she was searching for. Her features lit up, a slight blush coming over her cheeks as she reached for a glass and filled it for him. Nodding his thanks he tossed it back, gulping it down on one go. He placed it back on the counter, before pulling at the bottom of his black sleeveless shirt, being careful of the studded border and bringing it up to wipe the sweat off his face. The sound of women catcalling and moaning caused him to look up, finding he was being stared at by a few ladies sitting at the bar. Giving them a glare, he proceeded to put his shirt back down before asking Juvia for more water. He'd considered at least taking off his sleeveless trench coat but he was enjoying the added flair it was giving him to scare people. As he moved to drink, one of the women sauntered up, bumping into him and causing him to choke on the liquid. He turned his face into the crook of his arm, attempting to clear his throat. Once he was better he looked up to find her playing innocent, her hand partly over her mouth in feigned shock while cradling a martini in the other.

"Goodness me, I'm so sorry," she practically moaned, making sure her cleavage was almost in his face. Her black curls framed her jaw and shoulders while her heavily makeup covered skin looked almost fake. She was wearing a dark red tight sleeveless dress that ended mid thigh and was low cut in the chest area. "So clumsy of me. How should I ever make it up to you?" She moved to bring her index finger up to glide down his chest but he took a step back, throwing her off. He moved to say something when his bartender friend tapped on the counter.

"Juvia sees the man at table five acting up," she said, taking the empty glass away as she spoke. The black haired woman shot a glare over, not liking the interruption, much less from a woman. Without a word, Gajeel moved around the stranger to get to work when her clawed hand snatched his arm. He yelled at feeling her false nails bite into his skin, his heated glare meeting hers.

"Tch, hands off, lady," he sneered, baring his fangs.

"You dare ignore me? I'm trying to apologise!"

"Yeah, for pretending to collide with me. We're done here," he snapped back, freeing his arm. "I don't have time for you." From behind him, he could hear the other ladies giggling to themselves. He figured the minute they saw him, the bitch in front of him probably dared that she could get him. He'd seen it way too many times with the other patrons. Rarely did it happen to him. Most times he was either too busy or they saw he worked at the club, not bothering with him. Which was why Juvia had said that so the woman would see he's working and back off. Juvia had lied about the troublemaker to help him get away. Still, this woman continued, determined not to be shot down or ignored. She moved to adjust her dress before flicking her hair over her shoulder, her eyes darkening as anger clouded them.

"Do you have any idea who you're talking to!? You'd be a fool to pass me up, you stupid asshole," she motioned to herself as if she were the best thing in the whole club, her free hand resting on her hip. She moved to say more when suddenly a spray of water shot out, causing her to scream and drop her martini, the glass shattering. Her clothing and hair was now soaked and her makeup began dripping, making it look as though her face was melting. "What the fuck?!" Gajeel himself was stunned until his eyes darted over to find Juvia with the nozzle in her right hand while her left was over her mouth in feigned shock just like this woman had done earlier.

"Oh my goodness, Juvia is so sorry! Juvia's hand slipped!" The woman let out a frustrated scream before stomping by everyone on her way to the restroom. As soon as she was gone and the second Gajeel made eye contact with his buddy he threw his head back and laughed, grabbing his side and slamming his hand on the counter.

"Dammit, Juvia, that was fucking amazing!" he exclaimed, bringing his gloved hand up to wipe a tear away. She smiled while giving a shrug.

"Juvia does not know what you are talking about," she gave him a wink before putting the nozzle away and turning to go back to serving. After settling, Gajeel caught a glance at the other women who were with that bitch, seeing them glaring at him. He merely snickered before walking off. Finding his way to the nearest stairway, he climbed up to the catwalk, heading to the middle to get the best view of the entire place. He pushed his way through, finding intoxicated patrons and people who thought maybe the catwalk was a better place for privacy to kiss. One man collided with him after being shoved by someone, earning the crimson eyed man's glare and shove of his own. He snapped at the two to behave earning terrified expressions before stalking off to his destination. Once he reached it, he braced himself on the railing, looking down at the dance floor below. From there he could see his boys working the floor, peeling people off each other to stop fights or escorting them out. Gray was grabbing someone who clearly had too much from off the floor, hauling them to the bathroom. Sting and Rogue were in tonight, the pair always working together and even now they had someone by the coat tails as they moved to throw them out. Natsu was merely on the sidelines near the tables, keeping his head on a swivel for anything crazy. Things were moving well for a Friday, making Gajeel feel pretty good about not acquiring a headache for the night. He fished out his phone, seeing the glowing numbers in the corner reading 11:27 pm. There was still a long ways to go before the night was over. Plenty of time for trouble. At the thought his eyes moved over to check the bar to make sure that woman didn't return to harass Juvia, only seeing one of the cleaning staff mopping up the water and alcohol. The song 'Smaller God' by Darling Violetta began playing, the mood of the club quieting down. Returning his phone to his pocket, Gajeel began flexing his arms, feeling an urge to go help out with the watch. Something was off, out of place. He leaned over the rail, his eyes scanning the floor to find a mop of blue hair standing out.

_'There's no way.'_ As if possessed, his feet moved on their own as he headed for the stairway down. Below, Levy twirled around on the search, her short, black dress swishing around her. It was sleeveless with a low cut that was covered with red embroidery and her separate sleeves were tied in with a red silk cord. She wore a black headband and sandals that laced up just under her knees. It took all her courage to get here, her memories of the first time plaguing her. Though the promise of seeing him overrode all of it, knowing he would be so happy to see her. Besides, she couldn't stop thinking about him kissing her, feeling his hands on her face still. "Sorry, Miss, you can't be here," came a voice that had her twisting around. She found him with his arms crossed over his chest, his stance wide as though he were trying to intimidate. His hair came over his eyes, his glare startling her as he leaned forward. As he bent at the waist to get closer to her level, he uncrossed his arms, his left hand ending on his hip while his right came up to show an example of height. "You have to be this tall," he concluded, a wide grin breaking his tough expression. She puffed her cheeks, bringing her hands to hips.

"Picking on me already?"

"If I didn't, it would mean I didn't like ya," he said with a chuckle, "what are you doing here? I thought you never wanted to see this place again."

"Not particularly but I wanted to surprise you." He leaned back up, running a hand through his hair.

"Well it worked cuz I never expected you to come here." This caught him off guard, not sure what to do. He knew she absolutely hated it here, yet here she was, for him. Even as he looked down at her, he felt his heartbeat increase, the overwhelming feeling that his adorable girl was here making him happy. "Well, let's get you away from the idiots, at least," he said as he guided her towards the VIP section. No one was in there so far tonight, making it the safest place for her. She peered up to see his face hard as though he was expecting trouble. A wave of uncertainty washed through her until he asked her what was wrong.

"Should I have not come?"

"What? Why?"

"You're scowling again," she noted, pointing up at him. He blinked a little, bringing his hand to rub the back of his neck.

"Sorry. It's my default when I'm here. Gotta keep an eye out, ya know?" He flashed a smile, seeing her relax as they sat at one of the cushy tables. "I'll never be mad at you, you know that, right?" Her bright smile was answer enough as she settled in a seat, fixing her skirt. "So to what do I owe this pleasant visit?"

"I told you, I wanted to surprise you," she replied with a giggle. Gajeel suddenly felt someone on his back as a weight leaned over him.

"Hey, you're back! Cana's friend, right?" Natsu borderline shoved Gajeel into the table, bringing his hand up to shake hers. The gasp that escaped her only widened his grin as he could only imagine the face on his boss. A low growl was all he needed as he jumped back, ready to fight.

"What the fuck, flame brain? You wanna get knocked out?!" The pink haired male merely laughed as Gajeel reached back to snag him, only to swipe at air. At missing, the crimson eyed male climbed to his feet only to feel Levy touch his arm, a sense of calm coming over him. Only she seemed to have this effect on him, his anger quelling only a bit. He eyed his coworker as he adjusted his white scarf that he always wore, imagining strangling him with it.

"Now, now, please don't fight," she said with a nervous chuckle.

"So where has Cana been? Haven't seen her in some time," Natsu continued as if he wasn't about to eat Gajeel's first. Levy frowned before reaching in her purse for her phone, checking it as she spoke,

"I was actually talking to her tonight. Her mother wasn't feeling well so she's been out of town but she should be back in a day or so, "she glanced up at him, giving a reassuring smile, "Things are looking better." Natsu was about to say more when he was struck on the back of the head, tears appearing at the corner of his eyes as he grilled at Gajeel.

"What the hell?! I didn't hit you, metal for brains!" Gajeel practically slammed his forehead into Natsu's, his fangs bared as he hissed back at him.

"You really think you're gonna jump all over my head and I'm not gonna get you back!?" The look Natsu gave, Levy was sure it was like seeing fire in his eyes as he screeched right back.

"You wanna fight, Kurogane?! Bring it on!"

"Get the hell out there, you idiot!" Gajeel roared while pointing towards the dance floor. There was some seething but Natsu did as he was told, muttering as he strode away. The sudden burst of laughter caught his attention as he turned to see Levy holding her sides. "What the?"

"You must be really good buddies," she said between laughs. His eyes widened in shock, looking at her as though she was crazy.

"Tch, did you see what was going on? He's an idiot," he mumbled as he sat down again. She waved her hand dismissively, calming down.

"Sure, sure, Gajeel. If you say so." Regardless of whether she knew what she was talking about or not, he still enjoyed the sight of her being happy, her laugh music to his ears. Her laughter died as a white haired male approached them, trying to get Gajeel's attention. She blinked a bit as she noticed her man's face was fixed in rage as though he sensed something was amiss. His arms were once again crossed over his chest, his body leaned back with his legs wider to accommodate his poor posture. "Gajeel?"

"Hey, he's here," the man said, his dark eyes glancing at her a moment before staring at the back of Gajeel's head again. The crimson eyed male brought his hand up to his ear without looking back.

"Eeeeeh? I can't hear you."

"Gajeel…."

"Tell him to fuck off," came the reply to which Lyon once again rolled his eyes at. Before anyone could speak, Gajeel twisted in his seat, glaring up at the club owner. "Why can't someone else take care of him? I don't see why he needs _me_ , every fucking time," he spat, turning to face Levy again. She'd never seen him so mad before, feeling almost frightened at his reactions. She frowned, glancing up at Lyon who merely shrugged.

"Sorry, man. Money talks. He gets what he wants," he replied simply.

"Son of a…. For fucks sake…." He climbed to his feet, looking around Lyon to see his target walking up. Levy leaned around, trying to get a look at this person that had been bothering Gajeel for the last month, seeing a lean blonde man approach wearing a pinstripe suit. His expression showed arrogance as he walked up, waiting for what looked like his bodyguard to open the rope for him. Levy could instantly see why someone like this would piss Gajeel off so bad as he made his way to one of the other VIP tables. The blonde glanced at her, giving her a grin before walking by. This took her back, wondering what that creepy face was about. While Levy sat behind everyone confused, Gajeel glared at the man as he moved to sit. "Back, your highness?" he growled out, trying to bite his tongue from saying something he might regret. Kreem merely snapped his fingers to get the nearby waiter before ordering some strange beverage Gajeel had never heard of.

"Kurogane, why don't you bring your charming friend over. We wouldn't want her alone for the evening," he said with a sly grin. Gajeel widened his eyes, glancing behind himself at Levy before turning back.

"She's got her own table. Thanks." Levy moved to say something but he raised his hand to stop her. Kreem gave an amused expression as he moved to fix his cuffs.

"Oh? She not with you?"

"Doesn't matter, she's not your concern," he replied with a blunt tone. Kreem seemed almost too amused by the whole situation, still grinning like he was in on some joke. Levy began fidgeting, feeling like her presence there was making things worse for him, guilt eating away at her stomach. She found herself playing with the chain of her purse, the feel of the cool steel distracting her from the blonde's eerie stare. As if noticing, Gajeel took a step to the side, blocking her completely from his view which he noted seemed to bother the man for a second. "Listen, we both know you don't need me watching your little party. Either case I can be right here," Gajeel said, motioning to where he currently was. The minute it took for the blonde to reply had Gajeel tapping his foot from lack of patience.

"I suppose," finally came the reply. Gajeel's gaze darkened, a glimmer of suspicion flickering across his face. Kreem had always been very adamant about him being close like a dog on a leash but he was being very nonchalant tonight. He didn't like how it made him feel. There was no sense of victory. Figuring he should take what he could get, Gajeel turned his back to him, leaning on the table close to Levy.

"Am I getting you in trouble?" He blinked a little in confusion until he saw her playing with her purse. He reached down, grabbing her hand to stop her. Large, brown eyes met his red, concern for him clear within them.

"You aren't doing anything wrong. Don't worry," he leaned up, taking his seat by her once more, "besides, I told you about that little creep. Don't worry about it." She leaned forward, looking almost as though she were ready to cry while bringing a hand up to the side of her face to hide her mouth,

"Does he always speak to you like that?" She watched his eyes cast a glare in the asshole's direction while nodding to her, "I don't like it. Doesn't he know that I own you?" At that he looked back at her, a look of surprise replacing his anger. She giggled at his reaction. A devilish grin appeared, his thoughts entertaining the idea of her 'owning' him.

"Is that right? Aren't you being bold?" A blush crept across her cheeks as she leaned back and stared at her lap. It was clear he had dirtier thoughts on his mind as she observed him leaning closer. Her eyes darted to his lips again, the taste of metallic on the tip of her tongue. Suddenly it seemed like there was little oxygen, her temperature increasing and heart beginning to race. He watched her eyes suddenly shift over, a frown overriding everything. He glanced over his shoulder to find Kreem staring at them, his drink close to his lips. "This fucking guy," Gajeel mumbled as he leaned his elbow on the table while burying his face in his hand. He scrubbed his face a bit before glancing up to see Levy appear almost sorry for him. Now she had a sort of idea with what he had been dealing with. With the mood broken, he leaned back in his seat before he looked out at the dance floor. Screw this guy, he was going to take care of his girl and he sure as hell wasn't going to have her sitting here the whole time. A gasp escaped her as he grabbed her wrist, pulling her fully out of her seat as he climbed to his feet.

"G-Gajeel?"

"Come on," he said as he dragged her towards the dance floor. She instantly caught on, feeling her face heat up in embarrassment. It was good he had such a good hold as she felt she may trip over her heels trying to keep up with his long strides.

"Oh, I don't know how to dance," she murmured. He let out a laugh, throwing her a wicked grin.

"Neither do I. Let's go," he exclaimed, dragging her away. They became lost on the crowd, finding an open spot close to the stage. "I am not having that bastard ruin you coming here," he said as he stopped and turned towards her. He grabbed her around the waist, pulling her in close as the music changed. It was very rarely that slow music would play, often only when they felt the club needed to cool down a bit from the excitement. Gajeel almost felt as though one of his coworkers saw him and ran to put something on, the song 'Sugar Water' by Chiba Matto bringing the hype down and lulling people into slow dance moves. Regardless of whether it was the case or not, he sent out a mental thank you as he pulled Levy against himself to sway to the beat. He heard her let out a content sigh, resting her head against his chest. She wished this song would stay on forever, enjoying the feel of his arms around her, making her feel so much tinier than she already was. Gajeel leaned down slightly, burying his nose into her hair, the smell of cherry blossoms assaulting his senses and putting him further under her spell of calm. For the span of the song, he forgot he was at work, forgot about his coworkers, and most of all, he mentally pushed away the asshole who was waiting back where they were sitting. Everything was about the blue fairy in his arms, happy to see her curled up against his chest, a gentle smile on her features. Against the bar, nearly all the bouncer staff was leaning against it with Juvia behind them, all their eyes on their friend as he enjoyed himself. Gray bumped his fist into the blonde bouncer's shoulder, giving him an approving nod.

"Good job with the music, Sting."

"I try," he replied, giving a wink. Behind them, Juvia swayed back and forth with her hands on either side of her face, her aura screaming that she was giddy.

"Oooooh Juvia wants to dance with Gray darling like that," she whimpered, hearts practically in her dark eyes. Gray sucked his teeth, hearing her but not responding. Rogue leaned back against the counter, a soft smile on his lips. Natsu knocked into Gray, jerking his thumb towards the swooning bartender only to earn growling from him.

"Gajeel deserves it," Rogue said earning everyone else's look. A loud voice grabbed their attention, all eyes turning to see Lyon drumming his hand on the counter.

"I don't pay you people to stare." Gray scratched his head while Rogue gave him a blank look. Sting leaned forward to look around everyone else, his expression also dull.

"Um…. Yes you do." The group burst into laughter while Juvia rocked back and forth while squeaking at hearing her beloved chuckle. Seeing her happy around Gray made Lyon angry as he shouted for them to stop goofing and get back to work. The song came to an end with Levy still swaying until she felt Gajeel stop and pull back. She peered up to find him staring at her, his intense gaze causing her to blush and look away. He took her hand, bringing her back to the enclosed section, being sure to not even look in the creep's direction. Helping her into a seat, he leaned over her , asking if she wanted anything to drink. Feeling his body over her, she began stammering, managing to get the word 'water' to come out of her mouth. Her reaction had him grinning that wild, fanged smile of his before walking off. Now alone, her gaze couldn't help but fall on the blonde at the other table, noticing him still staring at her. After a moment, he let out a small laugh before turning his attention back to his drinking. She tried looking out into the crowd but in her peripheral she kept an eye on him when she could. Gajeel's return startled her as she was so focused on finding out what Kreem's problem was.

"Sorry," Gajeel murmured before sitting so he was blocking her again.

"It's ok," she said with a smile before looking back at the people, "how do you do this all the time? It's crazy in here." He shrugged, leaning back and putting his hands behind his head. "You certainly are strong, Gajeel." He looked over at her, finding her smiling sweetly at him. There was a moment of silence between them before Levy climbed to her feet, "I'm going to the restroom. I'll be right back, ok?" He nodded, watching her walk off and disappear into the chaos. As he scanned the area, he suddenly jolted up out of his seat, his brow creasing in rage as he spotted Vidaldus in the crowd. He jumped up, his chair letting out a screech as it was pushed back by his legs. He stalked out, reaching the painted skinned bastard and tapping on his shoulder as he harassed a poor woman. Vidaldus was greeted with a fist in the face, the resounding crunch of his nose coming through loudly.

"I told you never to come back here, you son of a bitch," Gajeel sneered as he grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him towards the exit before he could mutter a word. His sudden movements not going unnoticed, the other bouncers grouped up, curious on how this man kept getting in.

"I can't believe you broke it again!"

"It'll heal again," Gajeel spat as he kicked the door to the outside open, dragging him into the alley on the side of the club. Almost throwing him, Vidaldus stumbled to catch his balance before turning to glare at him. "How the hell do you keep getting in?" The painted skinned man merely stuck his tongue out, a strangled laugh escaping him.

"As if I could spoil the fun."

"You like being beaten till no one can recognize you?"

"You can't touch me. We're outside your precious club." The grin that came across the black haired male caused Vidaldus to freeze, hearing Gajeel laugh.

"Heeeeeh? Is that what you think?" The sound of knuckles popping had the intruder gulping as the others at the door watched Gajeel stalk towards him. Meanwhile, Levy returned to the table, blinking in confusion when she found it empty. She did a spin, her hair fluttering about her until she stopped while facing Kreem. Still he was watching her, sipping on martinis as though she were a source of entertainment. She gave him a glare, pausing only a moment before approaching him.

"Say… did you see where Gajeel went please?" He gave her an amused look, as if he wasn't expecting her to come near him. Putting his glass down, he dabbed his mouth with a napkin, as if taking his time was to eat at her patience. And it worked. Without realizing she was tapping her foot slightly, readjusting the steel chain of her purse on her shoulder.

"If you are looking for Kurogane, I think I saw him go behind the stage," he said pointing in the direction. She glanced over before looking at him once again as if to gauge him. She failed to see why he would lie. He may have been creepy but she didn't know him enough for him to mess with her. Bowing a thanks, she turned and walked off, coming up to the side of the bar that was near the stage. She heard yelling coming from the side entrance, seeing a small crowd forming. Giving a shrug, she took the chance of people being distracted to go behind the curtain, nearly tripping on some rope that was coiled on the ground. It was rather dark, the only light really coming from anything filtering through the curtains from the other side.

"Gajeel! Hello?" Her eye caught sight of a guitar that was leaned up against the wall, a smile showing as she remembered that he played. Walking up, she brushed her fingers against the strings, hearing a pleasant chime as they reverberated. A sudden clatter had her jumping, turning in time to see a shadowed figure grab her, her body being slammed hard against the wall. Little time was given to register anything and her head began spinning at such a harsh assault. Before she could scream, a cloth was pressed against her mouth, a sweet smell attacking her senses. She brought her arm up to try to pry whoever it was away from herself only to find herself growing weaker. _'W-who is this?!'_ She felt her eyelids grow heavy, her lashes fluttering as she fought to stay awake. _'G-Gajeel….'_ Her world faded, feeling her attacker grab her around the waist as she was knocked out, her purse slipping onto the floor beside the guitar that had been knocked over. Just on the other side of the curtain, the crowd let out a loud cheer as they watched Vidaldus crawl away with blood pouring out his mouth and his left eye puffing.

"Don't you think that was a bit much, Gajeel?"

"It was me or the cops," he growled while dusting himself off.

"I think he'd have preferred the latter," Rogue mumbled as they cleared a path for Kurogane to walk back in. He motioned for Juvia to get him a rag, cleaning the blood of his gloves and fingers.

"Gajeel has been wanting to beat someone for awhile. He should be glad he still has his legs," Sting murmured. Natsu glared daggers at the crimson eyed male, his fists balled up and ready to go.

"You should have saved some for me, screws for brains."

"Shut the hell up, flame brain!" Gajeel froze as he looked over to see Levy hadn't returned, his eyes searching the immediate area. Walking over, he shot a glance over at the blonde, seeing him finish one of his fruity beverages. "Oi, did you see the girl that was here?" Kreem dabbed his mouth before smoothing out his suit and standing. The whole process felt as though it were paint drying as Gajeel waited, feeling his blood pressure rise again. It was taking every ounce of his willpower to not reach over and grab the fool, to shake any information out of him.

"I saw her come by but she seemed to run off. I'm not her keeper, Kurogane. You'll have to search for her yourself," he snapped his fingers, his men straightening up, "and on that note, I'll wish you a fine evening." Gajeel watched him prance his way out, his armed escort eyeing him as they passed. Gajeel wanted nothing more than to beat the hell out of each and every one of them but he had others things to do. He pulled out his phone, ringing her number and feeling a chill when it reached her voicemail. Maybe she didn't hear it.

_'Did she really go home?'_ He froze a moment as he glanced at his knuckles, a few drops of blood still lingering on his skin. _'Did she see Vidaldus and run?'_ He frowned as his second call went to voicemail, looking down at the image of her in her pajamas she'd sent him. "I guess so…"

\---

Gajeel collapsed into his bed face-first with Lily jumping on his back before stretching. At feeling the feline on him, he turned his head so he could catch a glance at him lick his paws. Letting out a grumble, Gajeel pulled his arms under his head, resting on them. He was exhausted, tonight having drained him. Still, his mind was racing at Levy not making any contact with him at all after disappearing. He didn't like it. It just didn't seem right. While his brain tried working it out, his body gave out, the exhaustion winning its battle. He reached into his pocket, pulling his phone out and up to his face. It was 4:56 in the morning, if she was home then she was sleeping. No point in trying right this minute. His head fell on the bed, not bothering with undressing or getting in a more comfortable position. Lily curled up by his feet, the cat's tail fidgeting as though it had a mind of its own. Sleep claimed Gajeel, bringing back memories of kissing his girl.

\---

**Oh no~! Gajeel has no idea yet what has happened to his precious shrimp~!**

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	9. Help me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levy is in a lot of trouble

**Would like to thank everyone, we broke 3k views on Fanfiction and your reviews mean everything to me xD Every - SINGLE - one~!**

**Got such nice feedback that I wanted to post this next one up already.**

**Thanks to my darling for editing help~!**

**Enjoy**

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A pained moan escaped Levy as she pulled herself up slightly from her prone position. The darkness that greeted her instantly clutched at her heart, fear taking over. No matter where she looked, she couldn't see anything, her hands slowly reaching out. While she was rather small, it was clear that wherever she was it was at least big enough for her to almost lay down. Her feet hit a wall as she tried stretching fully, the contact putting a heavy feeling in her stomach. Ahead of her was very little space as well. Darkness, confined space….

_'Am I… in the trunk of a car.'_ She turned onto her side, bringing her hand up to meet a ceiling. She recalled going backstage and finding what she would assume was Gajeel's guitar only to be jumped by some unknown person. Her head throbbed, the silence making it easy to hear the pulsing of her blood in her ears. She steadied her breathing, listening for anything on the outside. She felt so drained, her body aching from being cramped up. How long was she out for? Where was she? More and more questions ran through her head, increasing the pain. She felt around, hoping there was something that she could use for defense for when her kidnapper returned. There was no way they were going to leave her in there, were they? Anxiety began it's attack, her heart racing as adrenaline did its job. She brought her head down against the floor, attempting to calm down. _'It'll be ok….. Calm down. Getting riled up will only make things worse…. Oh God…'_ Time seemed to drag on slowly, the silence outside making her go mad. Taking a shuddering breath, she tried once again to search for any sort of weapon that might have been left by mistake. A crowbar or tire iron could have been forgotten. She found the edge where the carpet ended, lifting it slightly and feeling for what was underneath. Her hand met rubber, clearly being the spare tire that every vehicle had. She pulled the carpet up more, trying to move around the spare to find nothing. No tools or anything. Her heart sank, getting a wave of loneliness and helplessness to drag her down further into depression. Her thoughts turned to Gajeel, praying with all her might he could find her even though in the back of her mind, she felt it to be a fairy tale sort of hopefulness. At this point, she was willing to think anything. He probably had no idea what had happened. He was probably still looking for her at this moment. She still had no way of telling how much time had passed. She moved to fix her position, banging her head on the ceiling. A whimper escaped her as she clutched her head, feeling tears streaming down her face. As if they were waiting, someone outside could be heard, their footsteps stopping just beside her. Levy took in a breath, listening. Unfortunately, all she could hear was her heart hammering in her ears. A few minutes passed with Levy trying to hold her breath and let go as quietly as possible. Without warning, the truck clicked open and she was greeted by a spotlight, the harshness covering up the face of whoever it was reaching in for her. She attempted to get a look to only see a dark silhouette before they yanked her up and covered her head with a sort of cloth bag. Letting out a scream, she kicked at them as they easily wretched her out and dragged her away. She reached for the bag only to have her wrist grabbed and pulled behind her back. _'Definitely a man!'_ she thought as broad hands and crazy strength wrestled her to the ground. She was now on her stomach with her arms twisted behind her, the man's knee digging into her back. "L-let…. go…." Her voice came out weak and hoarse, making her feel even more powerless under his restraint. She listened for anything from him, only to be greeted with a harsh pull that brought her to her feet. He guided her along, helping her with her blind trek up a couple of steps and into the building. "Please let me go…" She was greeted with more silence as he pulled her along before going to a flight of stairs. She stumbled around, feeling him pull on her when she failed to help move along. The creak of a door opening sounded through the hallowed hall before she felt him shove her forward. Instantly, her hand came up to rip the bag off to be greeted with a door being slammed in her face. The only source of light came from the bottom of the door, making her feel like she really didn't improve her situation at all. The only thing she knew now was that she was in a room rather than a small box. She began pounding on the door, screaming to be let go. She cried until her throat hurt and her hands stung from the abuse. Sliding to the floor, she curled into the fetal position, sobbing into her arms.

\---

Time and again, Levy found herself pacing the pitch black room, waiting for when the tiny sliver of light would vanish and signal that her captor was here. The room was stuffy and hot, the lack of ventilation making her light headed. Every now and then she would crawl to the bottom of the door and try to get some sort of fresh air to clear her senses before beginning to pace again. She was pretty sure that if she had light she would see a worn down track that she would have put in the floor from walking so much. As time passed, she grew weaker, lack of food or water draining her. Oh how she wished to at least know how long she'd been here for, how long she was missing from the world. Finally the sound of footsteps caused her to stop, her gaze falling on the tiny light on the floor. She hugged herself, biting her thumb in nervousness as the room was fully engulfed in darkness. A soft click sounded before a hissing noise caused her to jump, an odd smell filling the room. Covering her mouth, she tried moving towards the back of the room. Harsh coughing escaped her as she began choking on whatever smog was put in there with her. Collapsing to her knees, Levy felt a wave of sleepiness come over her, her body crumpling on the floor. The last thing she could see was the doorway illuminated with a shadowed figure walking in towards her.

\---

Saturday was a complete blur, with Gajeel being busy and giving the occasional text to Levy with no response. He wished he'd had time to go check on her but he was swamped between waking up late and going back to work. He remained grumpy throughout the day with not being able to get in touch with the blue haired fairy. Plus, he found it strange that prissy pants had not visited like he would normally for the night. However, he was ever so thankful. Sunday morning, he was woken up by Lily with the cat crawling all over him as he tried waking his master for food. Gajeel mumbled something before rolling over, clutching his pillow beneath his head. Another flick of Lily's tail and he bolted up, sputtering as cat hair tickled his nose. After finally rubbing his face until it no longer itched, he glared up at the feline, finding him staring at him with his large brown eyes. Upon seeing his gaze, Gajeel gave a sigh, reaching up to rub the cat as Lily snuggled up beside him.

"Ok, ok, I'm up. Silly cat," he mumbled while climbing out of bed. Giving a stretch, he walked over to his bathroom, flipping the light on. Seeing his reflection, he was reminded that he went to bed without changing again, his clothing all wrinkled. Peeling his shirt off, he tossed it over the edge of the sink, starting the shower. Once it reached his desired temperature he stripped everything else off before climbing in. Bracing his arm in the wall, he felt the hot water soak into his hair. He'd been so out of it, sleeping like he was in a coma. He brought his hands up, scrubbing his face to clean his eyes and wake up. His thoughts went to his blue fairy, thoughts of her on her hands and knees in her kitchen causing his manhood to twitch in response. A groan escaped him at the mental image, reaching for the shampoo to distract himself. Lathering up, he began on his wild mane, his mind's eye going back to Levy. He recalled the look of shock on her face when he'd dragged her to the ground and feeling her ease up from him grabbing to kiss her. As he finished washing out the soap his eyes darted down, being greeted by his hard on. He made a face, cranking the water to cold. After he was done with his shower, he snagged a towel, moving into his kitchen to grab a water from the fridge. He nearly choked when he saw how late it was already. The glowing numbers on his microwave read 1:43 pm. "Damn, I must've been tired," he mumbled, rubbing his forehead. He moved into his room, finding his phone on the bed still from where he'd left it among the covers. After straightening the blankets out, he glanced at it to find the thing dead. He frowned, regretting that he hadn't charged it. As he plugged it in, Lily jumped up on his dresser, moving to get himself under Gajeel's hand. "Ok, ok. I gotcha," he said with a smile, indulging his little buddy with a back scratch. While waiting for some power to charge his phone, he removed his towel, shaking his hair dry with it before grabbing fresh clothes. He pulled on a long sleeved brown shirt that had studs lining the collar and ends of the sleeves with a small dip in the front to show the black tee he had underneath. It splayed out down the sides and back reaching to about his knees, the ends tattered. As he pulled on his white baggy pants, Lily once again assaulted him, rubbing against his ankles. "Cat.. if I fall cuz of you," he mumbled while zipping up before grabbing a belt and looping it through. Leaning down, he scooped the feline up, cradling the small creature under his arm as he moved to his dresser to check his phone. Pressing the home button, the screen flashed the charge icon to show that 10% was already done. Turning it on, he waited for it to register any messages or emails. Nothing of particular interest came up, his eyebrows coming down in a glare as there was still nothing from Levy. Placing Lily on the dresser, he scratched behind the feline's ears as he thought. He definitely needed to go over to her place and find out what was going on. He'd been too busy yesterday but he couldn't let this lack of communication go on. He bit his lip in thought. There was no reason he could see that she'd be mad at him. Unless it was due to seeing him missing when she came back. _'No, that's not like her… she knows I was still working…'_ Lily's meowing brought him back, making him use both hands to massage the little guy. "Who's the best cat ever?" As soon as he stopped, he noticed all the dark hairs that had come loose, grabbing the lint brush off his counter. Once he was set, he grabbed his keys and trench coat, making sure Lily had food in his bowl for later before closing up.

\---

Levy woke to feel her wrists and ankles bound with something wrapped around her mouth to keep her from speaking or screaming. She couldn't quite see where she was; the room being too dark to tell. Her body ached from being in this position for too long, making her wonder just how long she was out for. She peered around, trying to register everything that was going on. Her dress was in tatters and one of her sleeves was nearly gone, the shredded cloth hanging from her upper arm. A surge of fear boiled within her as she began squirming around to attempt to break free, feeling the ropes grind into her skin. She appeared to be on a mattress as the ground seemed to bend with each movement. Her eyes darted around, trying to find something, anything, to help her break free. Squinting, she could only make out that she was in a bedroom with a nightstand and a green lamp. Her eyes glued to the lamp, a spark of hope surging within her.

_'That's it?'_ Luckily for her, her hands were bound in front of her. This made it easier for her to shimmy over and reach for the lamp. She pulled the mouth gag off, giving herself more air. _'Please be made of glass!'_ She stretched, pushing it over and the sound of the shatter brought a glimmer of hope to her. Her breath hitched in her throat, trying to stay as silent as possible. For a few minutes, she paused, listening for any sound for the person who did this to her. The silence was the only thing to reply, bringing a wave of relief. Slowly but surely, she began inching her way to the edge of the bed, peering down to see the damage. Reaching down, she picked up a decent sized sliver of the glass, trying her best to cut the rope that was around her wrist. As the first cord was sliced through, the sound of boots rumbled from downstairs. The noise surged her to hurry, causing her to cut a part of her wrist by mistake. Tears sprang to her eyes at both the pain and the thought that someone in this place was here to do something to her. _'Finally!'_ The last cord was cut, her hands instantly moving to free her feet. The thundering sound of someone coming up the steps caused her to fumble with the glass, nearly cutting herself again. As she jumped up, the door slammed open, a shadowed figure looming in the frame. She leapt off the bed, clutching the glass like a dagger and leaned against the farthest wall. "Stay away!" Her voice came out much weaker than she had intended, being on the brink of crying. She could tell from how big and tall the figure was that it was a man. However he was still hidden in the darkness, making it hard to see who it was. All she heard was a grunt before he leapt towards her, grabbing her wrist to knock the object free and pin her against the wall. She screamed, trying to pull away with no avail. Now that he was close, she tried to get a look at him at the very least, shocked to find him wearing a mask. It was plain white and had one of those expressions like a court jester, the emotion showing happy. She'd never been so terrified of something like that until now, peering into it as she felt herself grow weaker. He was cutting off her oxygen, trying to get her to faint. "W-Why…?" Silence was her answer as her world faded away. _'Gajeel… help me…'_

\---

She could only imagine how long it had been this time as she awoke once again to a state of capture. This time, each wrist was bound to the bed posts with her ankles tied together. She felt a wrapping around her wound, the cut having been cleaned and tended to. Her breathing through her gag became raspy as panic took over, seizing control of her body. She pulled at her restraints, hoping there might have been something loose. The bed squeaked in protest as she struggled, complaining but not giving in. She could already hear her captor downstairs walking around. It was no doubt that he heard her moving about, his heavy footfalls loud and slow. Fortunately for her, the house was deathly quiet, making it easy to tell exactly where he was. The house itself didn't even seem old or anything, just very empty. It was too late now, if he knew then he knew. She pulled hard, hoping something would give. Nothing moved, the only thing she acquired from the effort was pain against the binding. She stared up at the ceiling, the plain white staring back at her. There was no window to tell what time it was, making her feel even more confined. Other than that, it seemed like a normal room. The bed now being the only thing in it. She figured he removed the nightstand given her last attempt. What could this man possibly want from her? The lack of answers made her boil down her own terrible thoughts. Each one ended with her never seeing the sun again. As if he heard her, her captor opened the door, giving a quick glance around the room before his masked face stopped on her. As he took a few steps in she couldn't stop herself from beginning to panic, her breath becoming loud and raspy once again. As he came closer, he procured a small bottle with clear liquid as well as a syringe from his pockets. At the sight of it, she began crying, struggling to pull as far away as she could, which thanks to the ropes was almost nowhere.

"Don't worry, dear," he said, his voice slightly muffled thanks to his headgear, "I just can't risk you getting away again." He filled the needle a bit, checking it for bubbles before reaching for her arm. He paused a moment before changing his target to her legs, pinning her down and injecting her in her thigh. "Can't have you looking damaged. He wouldn't like that…" Not having anything in her system, the drug took its toll fast, her eyes fluttering as she fought to stay awake.

_'He? What does that mean? There's someone else?!'_

"Shh. Just take a nap," he murmured, rubbing where he stuck her. The feeling of his hand on her skin made her feel sick, a shiver passing through her. She wished she could smack him away as he kept his hand on her. Her eyes darted around as she tried remembering where she had heard him.

_'That… voice…. I've... heard it…'_ There was something about it. She couldn't quite recall it but she knew she had definitely heard it before. Her brain began shutting down as the drug took over, inviting her to a world of nightmare. Her vision faded into darkness with the view of that terrible mask peering down at her.

\---

**This one is a tad short but promise to have the next one up soon. It's so weird how short Fanfiction can make it look. Can you believe that's over 3k words? Man... ah well...**

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	10. I have to find her

**Hello lovelies~! Thanks to all who faved, reviewed, and helped spread the love~! We hit 4k views (ff.net)~!**

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Cana tried to call once again, tapping her foot and letting out a frustrated growl as she was greeted with the default voicemail that only gave you the numbers of who you called. Pulling it away from her ear, she glared at the screen, Levy's picture was smiling back up at her while she was waving. She clicked it off, starting it up to ring it again for who knows how many times. Another set of ringing, another round of voicemail. She peered up at the apartment complex before her, reaching to ring the bell for the top place. More foot tapping, more growling. Something was wrong, something was most definitely wrong. Levy seemed to just up and disappear. Cana had tried calling the library and got in touch with Lucy who also had no idea where the blue haired girl was. The blonde stated she had last seen her on Friday in the afternoon and that she found it odd that she had not shown for work. All weekend, Cana tried getting in contact with her to no avail. It just wasn't like her at all. Bringing her hand up to shield her eyes, she glared up at the top window, trying to see if there was movement. The curtains were partly closed. Sucking her teeth, the brunette turned away and stared at nothing in particular as she thought of other places to check. She had already tried Levy's favorite cafe and Chinese take out place when she was too tired to cook. No one had seen her at all. The roar of an engine caught her attention as she turned her purple eyes towards a motorcycle that raced up, the male stopping in front of the apartment, his long black coat settling once he halted. The man moved to remove his helmet, his wild black hair already seeming familiar to her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded as she saw who it was. Last thing she needed was a verbal battle with Gajeel. He raised an eyebrow at her before glancing at the building behind her without dismounting, his left leg holding him in place. "Redfox!"

"What?" he snapped, leaning back in his seat. Her eyes narrowed a moment before figuring out what was going on.

"Are you… are you looking for Levy?"

"What's it to you if I am?" He popped the kickstand, swinging his leg over and placing his helmet on his seat. "Look," he started as he joined her on the sidewalk, his gloved hand pointing at her, "I know we piss each other off while I'm at work but we aren't there and you don't seem to be drunk. I think it's possible to get along." She merely frowned, crossing her arms over her chest as she began putting pieces together.

"So it's you." That got his attention. "You're the one Levy has been talking about this whole time." Before Gajeel could question or give a snappy comeback, Cana grabbed his arms, a look of worry crossing her face. "When did you see or hear her last? I can't get a hold of her."

"What?" He peered up at the building again before staring out at the road. "I saw her Friday night. I sent her a few messages on Saturday but….. Things got crazy and I didn't pay much attention to it. I just figured we were both busy," he murmured. The brunette couldn't hold back anymore as tears started rolling down her cheeks, taking Gajeel completely by surprise. "O-oi, calm down."

"This isn't like her. What if something is wrong?" He frowned while sucking his teeth a bit, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"We can't jump to things like that. When did you see or hear her last?"

"I haven't seen her all month. Things have been bad at home so I was out of town for awhile. I was texting her though and she seemed fine," she peered up at him, "in fact, she's been really happy lately. Seems to me that is your doing." He crossed his arms over his chest, a look of confusion on his face. "I already know about you visiting her at the library all the time." She watched him flinch, like he was caught as a small noise escaped him. "She talks about you all the time. She just didn't say who it was." His eyes narrowed in thought, wondering why she didn't mention him.

 _'Probably didn't want the drunk to scream at her,'_ he concluded, watching the brunette pace. He let out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck.

"This isn't like her," he heard her mumble.

"Have you checked other places?"

"Yes, I already looked. There isn't a lot of places she would go. She's not answering her phone and the last message I got from her was…" she pulled up her cell, "Friday afternoon. But with all the traveling back here, I didn't look at my phone that much." She began growling while clutching her device, her deathly glare startling the man beside her. "So if anything happened Friday night, she's been gone nearly two days," she concluded as she began dialing the number, "I'm calling the police." Gajeel glared at hearing her say that, a fear rising in his chest as he began pounding on the main door of the complex. A little old man finally answered, peering up at them in confusion.

"Is there something I can help you with, young man?"

"Who are you?"

"My name is Makarov. I'm the landlord here. Who are you?" Before Gajeel could answer, the little man leaned forward, squinting before leaning back and laughing, "Ah, you're the young man who keeps visiting my Levy!" A studded brow raised in confusion, Gajeel's head tilting as he crossed his arms.

"Your Levy?" Even Cana turned around while on the phone at hearing that, looking down at the short old man in bewilderment.

"She's such a sweet girl, she's like a daughter," he explained with a wide smile. They couldn't disagree with that, both glancing at each other. "Now what's wrong?"

"Right, when did you happen to see her last? We haven't heard or seen her since Friday," Gajeel replied, hearing Cana describe Levy's appearance over the phone. The old man pondered for a moment, his hand on his chin in thought. The lack of response was making Gajeel impatient, feeling the urge to tap his foot but stopped himself. He finally looked up at the dark haired man, nodding as he spoke.

"Well I did happen to see her Friday afternoon. She was in such a cute outfit. Said something about visiting someone at a club." He paused some more, "Not sure if I recall seeing her come home. Things blur together at my age, you know."

"Tch, damnit," Gajeel mumbled before nodding to Makarov, "Thanks anyway." The old man gave a small bow, bidding him good luck and farewell before closing his door. He turned in time to see Cana click her cell off, putting it away in her purse. "So?"

"I have to head down to the station to fill out papers and give them a photo. Listen, maybe you should ask your goons at Lamia Scale. Not sure what else to do right now."

"She was wearing a black dress with red lace last, ok?" Cana froze, staring at him in disbelief.

"Why do…." She watched him turn his head down and away from her as though he was disgusted. His face was tight, his jaw clenched as he ground his teeth in frustration.

"She was coming to visit me," he said, looking up at her. "She was out because of me."

"And you left her alone?!" the brunette screeched.

"I didn't want her to go! One minute she was there and the next I thought she went home!" he screamed back just as loud. She could see it in his face that he was upset and disappointed in himself for the situation. She balled her fist, the urge to strike him surging within her, tingling through her arm. Fighting it caused her to begin shaking, tears welling up in her eyes once again.

"We…. have to find her…. She's like a little sister to me. I can't lose her," she grounded out, trying not to give into the feeling. She glared up at him, feeling he was responsible for everything. Every fiber in her body knew otherwise, that he had no control over it and probably couldn't do anything to stop it but her heart and mind needed to blame someone. She growled, letting her right hand fly, her open palm swinging out, and watching his head remain turned from the impact. He stayed still, feeling any movement could get her started with more yelling and screaming. "This is your fault," she heard herself say. Everything in her mind screamed that she was being a bitch and was wrong but once again, she needed something at the moment. The fear that something had happened to her childhood friend was eating away at her. "She's the only real friend I have. Everyone else is nice to me because of who my father is. She never treated me special. So she's my real family…." What probably killed her the most was that he merely stood there, accepting all her rage. When it sounded like she was finally finished, she watched only his eyes move towards her, making contact with hers. The anger she saw in his ruby-eyed stare made her shiver in fear. It was then she realized that he, too, was shaking, his fists balled up and at his sides.

"I can promise you this," he said, finally turning towards her, "I will find her, no matter what the circumstance." That was when Cana lost it, burying her face in her hands and crying out. Gajeel didn't feel he had the right to try and comfort her, taking this chance to walk up to his bike. "I'm going to ask around Lamia Scale. See if anyone saw her." As he settled himself, Cana tried calming herself down enough to write her number down, handing him the slip of paper. He took it, staring at it before making eye contact with her. She glared at his visor, seeing her own reflection glare back. Did she really look **that** pissed? She was beginning to feel bad for him, having to put up with her anger.

"You hear _anything_ , you call or text me. Send me a message when you can so I get yours." He merely nodded, slamming his boot down on the throttle while revving, taking off towards downtown.

\---

Coming up to the Lamia Scale during daylight hours was always strange for him no matter how many times Gajeel did it. He brought his bike to a screeching halt, popping the kickstand and pulling off his helmet. Running up to the door, he pounded his fist on it before pacing. Surely someone was in there by now. Just as he was about to slam on the door again, the small window in it cracked open, a mouth appearing.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, lemme in." The mouth pulled back and a pair of dark eyes appeared to glance at him before shutting the small opening altogether. There were several loud thunks as dead bolts were shifted before it finally opened, revealing the owner in the doorway.

"What are you doing here?" Gajeel grabbed the edge of the door, pulling it open and out of Lyon's hand as he walked by him. After a quick glance around the area he turned back towards the other man, his expression making Lyon worry. Gajeel didn't show being upset very often.

"Listen, that woman I was with on Friday," he brought his hand up to show her height, "about this tall with blue hair. Did ya see her that night?"

"I saw you dancing with her." A small flicker of emotion went through his face before he continued.

"After that?"

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't," Lyon replied while shaking his head, watching his top employee begin to pace. "Gajeel, what's wrong? I've never seen you like this."

"She's missing," he answered, his wild eyes looking at the floor as he spoke. He was retracing his steps that night, trying to recall if there was anything out of place. Who was he kidding? Her being here at all was out of place. He found himself standing near the bar, staring towards the VIP section, looking at where they were sitting. _'We were there…. Then we went to dance…. And then…. She went to the restroom while I beat the hell outta that guy.'_ With each thought, his eyes scanned the areas that corresponded to each step. Finally his eyes fell back to the table again, _'She must have come back to the table looking for me.'_ He ran a hand through his hair, becoming frustrated that he wasn't here when she had returned and he had no idea what happened after. An enraged growl escaped him as he slammed his fist on the counter.

"Hey, Lyon, the door was open. You in here?" Natsu poked his head in, seeing the two of them near the bar. "Hm? Gajeel? What are you doing here?" The crimson eyed male glared up at him from under his bangs, his expression dark. Natsu was always bad with being able to read the mood, something that pissed him off greatly. "Eeeh? You wanna fight?"

"I'll kill you if you come near me." Natsu moved to get in his face but Lyon brought his arm up to stop him. The pink haired man glared at Lyon, a fiery look on his face. Natsu braced himself as though either one of them could pounce.

"Natsu, leave him alone." For some reason, at hearing this, Natsu finally was able to see that Gajeel was in pain and upset. He dropped his arms, his fists unclenching as he casted a worried look towards the dark haired male. Gajeel leaned fully against the bar, meeting his own gaze in the mirror that was behind the line of liquor. So bad, he wanted to throw something, punch something…. Anything. The rage that was building within him was becoming dangerous. He needed to get away from Lyon and Natsu. He pushed off the counter, beginning to walk around while scanning, seeing if there was anything that may have left some sort of clue. Given the time frame it was a long shot but he had nothing else to go on and he was pretty sure he would at the very least deck Natsu should he have gotten too close. He came up to the table again, leaning to look under it and inspect around it. Nothing. Lyon watched him in silence, making sure the pink haired male didn't take a step too close. Still not sure what his foul mood was about, Natsu sucked his teeth and walked away, heading for the back room where the staff kept their belongings and hid to rest. Lyon heard the dark haired male inhale deeply, his eyes brightening even if only a little.

 _'Flowers?'_ He knew there was no way. He had to have been imagining it. Shaking his head, he moved over to the bar again, curious if maybe Juvia had found something and hid it back there.

"Gajeel…." An angry glare answered him, his eyes fixed on him. "Is there anything I can do to help?" He honestly didn't know but he feared if he spoke again it would come out as venomous as it did for Natsu. Instead he remained silent, his hand nearly knocking over a glass. He steadied it, staring at it a moment. He was almost tempted to have a drink. He didn't generally drink and when he did it was just beer. He never had a taste for hard liquor, always looking for just the slight numbness to blur out at the craziness he'd deal with. He took a deep breath, still feeling Lyon watching him as he placed the glass on the counter. His eyes caught a glimpse of the stage curtain, the cloth near the end being stuck as though someone was behind there. Leaving the glass where it sat, he stalked over swishing the heavy cloth aside as he went in the back. A loud curse fell from his lips as he nearly tripped on a coiled rope on the ground, the urge to kick it being strong. Gritting his teeth in annoyance, Gajeel kept moving forward, his eyes scanning everything. On the other side, he spotted his guitar that he'd left back here. It has been knocked over, a small black object near it catching his eye. As he came up to it, a shimmer caught his gaze, finding it to be a woman's purse with a metal chain for it's strap.

"Wait a minute…." His feet carried him faster as he scooped up the purse, digging in to find keys, a small wallet, and a cell phone. Clicking the home button, he found it to be dead. A growl escaped him before he fished for the wallet, cracking it open to find what he feared. He could almost feel the color drain from his face as he peered down at Levy's ID card, her smiling face looking back at him. "Why was she over here….?" He glanced around again, his eyes squinting to see further back. "Oi, Lyon!"

"You ok back there?"

"Yeah, turn on the lights behind the stage," he shouted. Thanks to the emptiness, he could hear Lyon's heavy footfalls as he moved to do as he was asked. With a loud click and a soft hum, the lights flickered on, illuminating the backstage area. There was a lot more dust than he realized, the cleaning staff probably never going back there unless specifically told. It was probably why no one brought his guitar to the front. Now able to see, Gajeel moved to the back wall, spotting a large vent cover that looked like it had been unscrewed. It looked to be about four feet wide and tall, making it very easy to go through. Placing Levy's bag down, he examined the cover before grabbing the corners with both hands, sliding it to the side. It was a tad heavier than it looked, the loud screeching causing Lyon to pop his head back there. As loud as it was, given this place was always brimming with heavy music, this was something that could easily be drowned out. He had a feeling that this was how Vidaldus was getting in.

"What's going on here?" Lyon glanced up at him when he didn't reply, watching Gajeel look as though he were in deep thought. His eyes finally landed on Lyon, a look of fear crossing his face. He knelt down, crawling only part of the way through the vent to find it lead to the outside alley. "Gajeel?"

"I need to see the security tapes," he said as he pulled back and onto his feet. Dusting himself off, he reached for Levy's bag, grabbing the phone again. He needed to get a charger for this. He wasn't sure if there would be anything of use but he wasn't about to rule anything out. The white haired male nodded, knowing that Gajeel being this quiet was him trying to remain calm. He knew he wasn't mad at him. Walking out from behind the curtain, Lyon rushed to the office near the employee area, unlocking his door and turning on the monitors. "I need the one for the back alley on Friday night. Just scan the whole thing," he murmured, placing the bag and phone on the desk. He glared at the objects a moment before sort of snapping out of his trance. Most of it was the same image, the occasional flicker of the lights and at one point it seemed as though someone was doing a drug trade, the two individuals acting shifty before walking off. Upon further scanning, Gajeel's theory proved true as they watched Vidaldus waltz up and give a quick look around before crawling through the vent. Lyon gave a blank look, mumbling something about fixing and adding an alarm before scanning further. They both jumped to stop the tape as a cloaked figure came up before doing the same thing Vidaldus had, crawling in. "Who the…." It wasn't long before there was movement once again, this time of someone coming out of the vent. It was the cloaked figure again only this time he was a tad slow, reaching in to grab something. "No fucking way…." Levy appeared from the vent, her unconscious form causing Gajeel to growl. Lyon took a step away from him, unsure of what he might do without thinking. The crimson eyed male took a shuddering breath, his jaw tight and teeth clenched. He reached up to rewind, stopping just before the figure went in, his eyes darting about as he examined the tape again.

"Gajeel…" Lyon was afraid that if he watched it too much, he might snap and destroy things.

"He took her…." He pounded his fists against the desk, seeing Lyon jump out of the corner of his vision. He didn't care. In the back of his mind, sure he felt bad but he didn't have the time or patience for it. Someone had kidnapped Levy from right under all their noses and they didn't have a clue where to look. Cana was right to worry. _'Ah hell, I'll have to tell her,'_ he thought as he stared at the purse on the desk. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to calm down. "Lyon," he murmured. The other man replied, keeping his distance. "can you get the front feed. Maybe we can at least see which way they went." Breathe in, breathe out. Lyon moved forward again, pressing some buttons on the panel and bringing up the desired footage. He wasn't sure why he felt to look. It wasn't going to be enough to give him any real sort of lead. Still he felt he needed to see it. To watch that bastard carry her off. A noise caught their attention as Natsu leaned his head in, his innocent face making Gajeel wanna punch him. Once again, Natsu had no grasp of the mood, his ignorance really pissing him off. Lyon caught on, grabbing the pink haired man's arm and leading him away while asking him what he needed. Now alone, Gajeel watched the tape, just barely seeing whoever it was put Levy in the trunk of a car. "What a shitty view. Most of the building is on this. Stupid…" He walked out, ignoring any protests from his coworkers and left the club. Walking down the alley, he scanned the area, looking for anything that could help. Any sort of clue could help. "Come on, Levy…. Talk to me," his eyes swept the sidewalks, hoping there was any sort of tell to help. From inside, he could hear Natsu and Lyon still talking.

"... well Kreem had wanted that so I dunno what…" Natsu's voice traveled out, freezing Gajeel in his tracks. Bursting back in, the ruby red male grabbed his boss's collar, getting his undivided attention.

"Where does Kreem live?"

"W-what? What are you talking about?"

"Where does that stupid son of a bitch live? He was staring at her all night. There's no way he didn't see anything," he growled. Natsu grasped at Gajeel's hands, trying to pry him off.

"Calm down, you're acting crazy!"

"I don't need personality advice from you, ya damn fire bug. You can't read a crowd if your life depended on it!" He turned back to Lyon, eyes flashing with anger, "where does he live?"

"Why would I know? You need to chill," he said while trying to pull away. Letting go, he watched Lyon stumble back before fixing his shirt, his eyes never leaving Gajeel's. "Just take a breath…"

"Tch, forget it," he mumbled, pulling his phone out. Someone as high and mighty as Kreem claimed to be, there was no way it wasn't public knowledge. Sure enough, his name popped up in his search along with a map. "Listen, I'm not coming in tonight. And not until I find her," he said, pulling his keys from his pocket.

"Gajeel, it's really the police's job. You shouldn't do anything that can get you in trouble," Lyon said, watching him stalk by him.

"Or killed," Natsu tacked on, giving him a blank look. As he moved to leave, he nearly plowed into Juvia, her worried look stopping him. Lyon let out a sigh, if there was one person who had a chance of talking to him, it was her. From the minute things had been looking crazy, he'd texted her, telling her to get over to the Lamia Scale as soon as she could. He was grateful she made it before he ran off.

"Gajeel, what is wrong?" He stared at her a moment, as if part of him didn't want to be nasty to her but he had too much going on to care. Before he did something really stupid he walked around her, ignoring her until she grabbed his arm. He glanced down, seeing her arm shake. "You are Juvia's best friend. Juvia doesn't want anything to happen to you…" He needed to get away, to find Levy. Why were they stopping him? Grabbing her wrist with his other hand, Gajeel pried himself free before stalking off. The loud sound of the door slamming had all three of them jumping. Juvia turned to Lyon, her eyes downcast as if she was disappointed in failing him. "Juvia is sorry. If there is one thing you don't do, it's push him. He only isolates himself further. There is nothing else to do," she whispered. He let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair in frustration. He pointed towards the door while looking at Natsu, silently telling him to follow. Luckily, the pink haired male caught on, taking off after Gajeel. Once they were alone, Lyon asked if she was ok. She bit her lip, glancing over her shoulder where Gajeel had ran off. "Juvia is worried." The white haired male began pacing, his arms crossed and brow knit in annoyance.

"He's gonna get himself in a lot of trouble, that guy. Knowing him, he's gonna waltz up and barge into his place… ask questions later." The eerie silence of the club added to the drab mood, the two of them staring at their feet.

"What should we do?" He let out another deep sigh, rubbing his forehead.

"Well we should definitely bring the tapes to the police. That's gonna be a start. Otherwise…. I really don't know, Juvia." Outside, Gajeel had his cell to his ear, waiting for Cana to answer. He began pacing in annoyance, his coat swishing out behind him. There was finally an answer, her voice frantic and with a tad of hope that maybe he'd reached his goal.

"Gajeel? That you? You find her?" He froze a moment, feeling like relaying this over the phone might not have been such a good idea. He leaned against the brick wall of the club, using his arm for support.

"Technically, no. Just listen," he said, leaning his forehead against the brick, the dark green headband stopping it from biting into his skin. He told her about finding her purse, about the cameras, and finally about what he had actually witnessed on the tapes. During all this, he heard absolute silence. Once he was done he finally heard her answer him, her voice making it very clear she was crying. He figured she must have muted herself while he talked.

"So where did they go?"

"I don't know but I'm going to follow up on a hunch I have. I wouldn't do it if I wasn't sure. Listen, I'll keep in touch with anything…. We'll find her."

"Ok.. ok…." He could almost see her nod in his head, her voice weak like she was holding back more tears. He ended the call, staring at the screen until it blacked out and reflected his scowl. He was such a hypocrite. Here he was trying to comfort Cana when he himself was afraid. Sure, he strangles some sort of information outta that snobby asshole. Then what? What if nothing came of it? He'd have nothing. He felt so powerless. His eyes snapped open as he felt something warm on his cheeks, bringing his free hand up to feel tears. All the emotion he kept suppressing was trying to escape, the salty liquid drenching his glove as he attempted to wipe it all away. Turning his back to the wall, he leaned all his weight against it, tilting his head back to look at the evening sky. Inhaling deep and letting it go, he pushed off the wall, moving over to his bike. He grabbed his helmet, pulling it over his head before turning around, sensing something there.

"Tch, what do you want, flame brain?" came his muffled voice, his hand coming up to lift the visor. Natsu kicked a stone into the street, his hands in his pockets as he shifted his weight around on his heels. He glanced up at Gajeel, his face very serious.

"Listen, I don't exactly know what's going on," he started, hearing Gajeel growl before mounting his bike, "but I do know you're distressed and I really don't want you doing anything stupid. You're our friend. Let us help you."

"Noted and appreciated," he said before closing the eye protection and revving his engine. Natsu jumped in front of the bike, grabbing the inside of the handles with the tire between his legs. Again the visor went up, his red eyes glaring into Natsu's green ones. "Listen, you idiot! I already know you are too stupid to get this but Levy is missing. Someone took her and I have to find her! Get the fuck off my bike," he bit out, grabbing the front of his shirt and yanking him to the side. The info about the girl helped with throwing Natsu off, his body stumbling as Gajeel started up again and took off, rubber screeching and smoke curling out from under him.

\---

The digital map on his phone took him north of town, way up north where the population grew thinner due to the sizing and pricing on housing. This was the part of town where one could buy a house or mansion and not see another soul for a good distance. Gajeel turned off to the side of the road, glancing at his phone again and scanning the mansions nearby, searching for any similarity between them. He should have known that puffy Lord would have been somewhere like this, this section of town that's almost as if it was in a world of its own. It still plagued him as to why that fool bothered with going anywhere near the club, though with the further he went into the territory, the less flair he would find. Everything was so basic and plain, from the gardens to the house designs themselves it was all too…. perfect. Finding the appropriate road, he turned his travel down it, finding more finely clipped hedges and high iron or brick fences. Each mansion had gardeners, cleaners, or even dog walkers running about, getting something done. The evening sun began dissipating over the horizon, the pinks and oranges fading from the sky. Finding his destination, Gajeel parked on the far side, walking up to the main gate and peering through the bars. A long driveway led up to a circle of road at the end with a fountain in the middle, rounded hedges lining the sides and the grass recently trimmed. The smell of the fresh cut grass clouded Gajeel's senses, blocking out a lot of any other fragrance he could have picked up on. The house itself was a much darker color than the others around here, the dark grays and blues contrasting with the whites and beiges that the others had. Another thing he noted as he looked around was that unlike the others, there was no one around. It almost seemed… desolate.

"Like a ghost house…." he mumbled, looking for a footing. Didn't seem like there was anyone there to stop him from exploring. He spotted a tree on the outside of the fence, feeling that was his safest bet. Quickly scaling the brick wall, he landed on the other side, keeping his body low as he checked for anyone around. Still alone. Running to the hedges, Gajeel peered down the driveway before heading towards the house. When he was more than halfway up the driveway, the main door opened, a man walking out and down the stairs. Keeping close to the bushes, Gajeel squinted to get a look at the male. His dark hair and the small mark over his right eye seemed familiar, watching him begin walking down the driveway. He did a double take when he realized it was the same guy he had spotted in the diner almost a month ago. _'So what is this guy doing here?'_ He watched him exit the property, mentally hoping he'd go left to avoid possibly seeing Gajeel's motorcycle. With no one around, he hadn't hidden it well. Luckily, he indeed went left, disappearing behind the brick wall. Taking another glance at the mansion, Gajeel decided that he knew he could come back here if needed. _'I need to find out what that guy's deal is.'_ Sprinting over to the fence, he grabbed the edge of the brick and hoisted himself over it. As he touched the ground, he clapped his hands together to knock away any dust or grass before rushing to his ride. Knocking the kickstand back, he turned it around and tried eyeing where the man went, the darkness making it harder to see. Sure enough, down the sidewalk, he spied his target getting into a taxi, the yellow vehicle heading itself back to the lower part of town. Gearing up, Gajeel kept a decent distance away with his headlight off. It wasn't long before they were back at the Lamia Scale with the dark blue haired male paying the driver and walking in. Gajeel scowled before parking his bike in the alley and heading in.

"Gajeel! Lyon said you weren't coming in tonight," came his greeting at the door by Elfman. He peered up at the scarred man, jutting his chin towards the door with his hands in his pockets.

"Guy with a tattoo just came in. Who was he?" Elfman glanced at the building with a raised eyebrow before looking down at the dark haired male, a curious look on his face.

"You mean Bora? He's a man!" He watched Gajeel wince as Elfman had shouted that while pumping a fist in the air, always so into the moment with everything he said. The crimson eyed male made a face, always sick of the larger man's same answer. Man this and man that. Still, he had given him a name. Gajeel bit his bottom lip in thought.

 _'Now I remember… he was hanging out with the alcohol princess the first night I saw Levy. He didn't seem to be doing anything odd.'_ He glanced behind Elfman, contemplating whether he should follow him in or not. "Oi, if Bora comes out, call me ok?" The larger man wasn't sure why but he gave a nod. Gajeel walked back to his bike, leaning against it in thought. His eyes glanced over down the alley, thinking about the video with the stranger carrying off Levy, feeling a heat burn within him. If only he knew which way they had gone. Anything.

\---

It was almost an hour before Gajeel's phone chimed with him snagging it from his pocket. Punching in the code, he was greeted by a message from Elfman saying that Bora was leaving. Peering around the corner, he watched the target hail a cab, watching the vehicle come to a stop and let him in. Rushing back to his bike, Gajeel did as he had before, tailing him with no lights and staying far enough back where it was difficult to see him. They traveled to the outskirts of town, the cab stopping before a stand alone house that was spaced out from others. This side of town seemed more like the section for those who just barely made it. Mostly there were ranch houses or tiny homes with small overgrown yards, nothing of particular interest. From a distance, Gajeel watched as Bora climbed out of the taxi, paying the driver and slinging his black coat over his shoulder before heading to the house. In all honesty, he wasn't sure what he should do. It was a strange time to be running to the door saying 'hey I was in the neighborhood' and then asking about Levy. Plus, to show up literally minutes after he has gotten home…. Yeah, not weird at all. Gajeel sucked his teeth as he shoved his hands in his pockets, glaring at the ground. He wasn't used to this sort of thing. He solved things with his fists. Pulling his hands free, he stared at them, becoming increasingly angry with the whole situation. Perhaps it was best to come back in the morning. No, tomorrow was Monday. Bora might not be there then. "Ah fuck it," he muttered, waltzing over to the door and rapping his knuckles against the wood. Given he had watched the man walk in a few minutes ago, he was surprised when it took some time for him to open the door. Bora's face faltered at seeing him, clearing his throat and asking him what he was doing here. "Listen, sorry to bother you but I'm not leaving anything out. You remember Cana right?" Bora seemed to give him a suspicious look, his face scrunched in thought as though he were either pulling the memory or simply figuring out what his guest was after.

"Yes, Gildarts' daughter."

"Her friend, Levy. About this high with blue hair," he paused a moment to let it sink in, "she's missing." While he spoke, Gajeel's eyes looked over the man's shoulder, taking in the environment inside. It was pretty basic with what looked like almost no furniture, seeming more like a halfway house than a home. As if sensing his confusion and suspicion, Bora took a glance back before meeting the bouncer's gaze evenly.

"Sorry. You'll have to excuse me, this is my cousin's house. He asked me to look over it while he was away." Gajeel raised a studded brow, wondering why he felt he had to explain himself. "What made you come see me about it?" The bouncer refocused on him, mentally kicking himself. He'd hoped he didn't notice. He couldn't exactly say 'yeah by the way I've been following you most of the evening.' Gajeel was drawing a blank as a decent excuse, feeling foolish. Finally, he just felt like it didn't matter. No turning back.

"Just trying to find her. She doesn't know a lot of people so just been finding anyone who knows her. Saw you leaving the club." He watched as Bora's eyes went wide slightly, almost as though he was caught or doing something he shouldn't. He was quick to mask it with a blank look, clearly not happy about hearing he was being tailed.

"Odd, I didn't notice you following."

_'Shit.'_

"Must be very important to you to go out of your way for her," Bora said, closing the door slightly. Gajeel noticed he seemed almost nervous, shifting uncomfortably and gripping the door tight. He also noticed he didn't answer the question...

"Tch, listen, what are you tryin' to get at? I only asked ya a simple fucking question and you're fishing for info. Ya seen her or no? We have the police looking and I'm just helpin'." The fact that Bora seemed to be so curious about his involvement was really starting to piss him off. Wasn't **he** here to ask **this guy** questions? Suddenly he felt like he was in the spotlight. _'Even though I'm wrong for following him…'_

"I haven't. It's late. You'll have to excuse me," Bora said as he shut the door in his face. Letting out a growl, Gajeel walked back to the sidewalk, casting a glance over his shoulder now and then as he walked away.

\---

She'd heard it. She knew she had. That was totally his voice. There was no mistaking that deep, gruff sound that she had grown to love. Her eyes darted to the door, listening for anything. The masked man had come in not more than two minutes ago and administered something that had rendered her completely immobile. She could hear and move her eyes, but her body refused to move. Whatever chemical concoction he had given her made it as though she was nothing more than an inanimate object. In fact, he was so sure she couldn't move that he had untied her bonds and left her merely laying there on the bed. It was soon after that she heard a loud knocking, the two men speaking. It was all muffled, of course, being she was locked up in a room upstairs and possibly on the other side of the house. She couldn't make any of the words out until she'd heard her name. Was it really Gajeel? Was he looking for her? From her position on the bed, she tried looking towards the door, glancing at the light that was pouring through the bottom of the doorway. The man had left her with her hands folded over her chest, her tattered dress splayed out as if she were on display. Every fiber in her body wanted to cry out, to scream. She desperately wanted to climb off that bed and pound on the door until Gajeel could hear her.

Nothing.

Whatever he had done to her, she was frozen. She heard the talking stop, the sound of the door closing downstairs bringing tears to her eyes. He was leaving. He was leaving and he had no idea she was right there before him. Her eyes darted around for something, _anything_ to make some sort of noise. Her heart sank as she realized there was nothing in her power to change this.

_'Gajeel…. Don't go…. Please…'_

\---

Outside, Gajeel kicked a random rock back towards Bora's 'cousin's' house, hearing it land in the tall grass, his hands jammed in his pockets as he scowled. He wasn't sure what it was but he didn't trust anything the man had to say. Something was up and the way he acted all shady and dodgy bothered him. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about it. He wanted nothing more than to bust the door in and beat the hell outta the guy until he talked. That would surely end with the police… Especially since he was almost certain that he was being watched from the window to make sure he left. He almost expected sirens at any moment. Sucking his teeth, Gajeel pulled his phone out as he walked away, dialing Cana as he reached his bike. After a quick rundown of what each found, he ended the call, glaring at his reflection in the darkened screen.

From his place in the window, Bora dialed a number, bringing the disposable phone to his ear as he watched the bouncer finally go back to his mode of transportation. It took a few rings but he was finally greeted by his employer's voice, turning away from the window as he spoke.

"Listen, I think Redfox is up to something….. No, I don't know if he knows though I seriously doubt it. There is no trace left behind. Yeah, I'll be moving your delivery. Where do you want it?" He grabbed a pad of paper and a pen, scribbling down everything that was relayed to him. "You have the money, like we agreed? And remember, afterward, we never met each other. Like the last one…. Yeah… See you soon." He clicked the cell off, tossing it on the counter before peering down at the address and instructions he copied down. Time and again he'd done this sort of thing, making his living off of jobs like this. He was never a nice man, always using the lives of others to get what he needed. He threw the pad down on the kitchen table before glaring at the window he'd been watching Gajeel from. He might just have to do something to get the bouncer off his back. If he was at all suspicious, it would have to be a permanent removal. Going to the closet, he grabbed his black cloak and white mask, donning it before heading up the stairs to his cargo. He needed to move things fast before he was discovered.

\---

**Oh dear, Gajeel, you were so close~! Your precious fairy is near~!**

**Oh my, what could happen next~?**

**Let me know what you think, looking forward to hearing from you.**

**You can find artwork on Deviant ART / P atreon**


	11. Part of my collection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As if things couldn't get any worse

**I'd like to thank everyone reviewing, you guys are my inspiration~!**

**It saddens me to see over 800 new views and so few comments but what I do get makes my heart soar~! You guys are the real heroes :D**

**Thanks to my sexy man for helping with editing**

\---

Darkness was all she could see, the feeling in her limbs gradually coming back to her. At this point she could move her fingers, perhaps roll her shoulders, or move her mouth. Nothing that could help as she felt herself bump along clearly in a vehicle. The stranger had returned with the promise of a trip, only to come back many hours later with that same cloth bag and some rope. She felt as the cord was tied around her wrists before the bag had been placed over her head, her body being lifted and taken away. Now they had been traveling for quite some time, how and where, she couldn't say. All she knew for certain was that Gajeel was gone. He'd been right there, just within reach and then this strange man had managed to make him leave. She felt tears beginning to fall down her cheeks again as a wave of loneliness washed over her. She thought of going to work and seeing Lucy, or walking outside of her place to find Mr. Makarov sweeping the entranceway. She thought of talking to Cana, asking her how her mother was doing and when she would be back. Was she ever going to see them again? What did this man even want from her? He'd barely spoken to her since she had arrived in that awful room; only going to feed her or check on her. She only ate to keep her strength even though that seemed to be all for naught. Whatever drug he'd been giving her made it like she was a living doll, trapped within her own body. A prisoner in her own flesh.

"We're here," came the man's muffled voice. She felt a burning in her stomach, a nauseating feeling rising through her chest. Rage. She was in absolute rage at the nerve this man had in talking to her like she was there of her own free will. "You won't need to worry. You'll be well taken care of here."

_'Where is here? Why are you even talking to me?'_ she thought as she heard a car door open ahead of her. She could hear the click of his shoes touching the asphalt, the slam of it normally would have had her jolting if not for being incapacitated. The air in the bag over her head was stuffy and making her dizzy, her body welcoming at least the coolness that swooped in as he opened the door beside her. She felt an arm going around her waist, sensing him leaning over to undo the buckle before dragging her out. She wished so badly that she could move better. To have the ability to at least lash out and fight him even though she knew he would overpower her. She would have felt a little better in knowing she went kicking and screaming. She felt as he placed her in what she guessed was a wheelchair, her body slumping in it poorly to the point where she thought for sure she would fall forward until she felt what seemed to be a belt of some kind going across her front to hold her in place. _'Feels like something out of a asylum.'_ She heard the car door closing before being propelled forward. She desperately wanted the bag removed, feeling light headed from all the poor circulation. More doors opening, more clicking of the man's dress shoes. The journey was finally over with her feeling the chair coming to a stop, sensing him leaning over to put the locks on the wheels as if she was capable of going anywhere. He walked away, his confidence that she could do nothing to escape eating away at her.

"Ah, good evening. I see you have brought what was promised." Levy moved her head slightly, her brow creasing in confusion at hearing the new male. He seemed far away at first, the clicking of heels against the ground signalling that whoever this was was walking towards her.

_'Ok... I have definitely heard **that** voice before...'_ Her suspicions were confirmed when she heard whoever it was approach her and yank the bag off, her hair puffing about and her chest heaving at the gift of fresh air. Her eyes fluttered at the brightness of the room, her head slowly turning upward to be greeted by blue eyes and blonde hair. _'No...'_

"My lord, I trust she is to your liking." Lord Kreem peered down at the bound girl, a wicked smile breaking across his face. Bringing a finger to his lips, he watched as a look of horror came over Levy's tear stained face. Her eyes scanned the area, seeing that they were in a grand foyer, a large staircase leading to the second floor to her left and a large mahogany double door entrance to her right. The finely polished marble floors and dark walls gave everything being said an echoed effect, adding to the emptiness of the mansion. Kreem gave a sideways glance without fully facing the masked man, a content look on his features.

"Of course she is," he replied, turning slightly to see his guest, "I picked her myself, did I not?" Her eyes wandered back to find the stranger near a table, a briefcase sitting upon it closed. His cloak and mask were still shrouding him, leaving him as a mystery until the end. A shiver passed through her at the sight of that dreadful mask, the sightless eyes boring into her, the eternal smile giving her the creeps. "Your money is there. Like the last time. I'm sure we shall meet the next time." She watched in horror as the stranger opened the case, a large sum of money brimming from it before he slammed it shut and yanked it off the tabletop. "What happened here?" Kreem brushed his hand along where her palm was wrapped, watching her flinch at the contact. She heard the masked man sigh.

"Tried getting away. Cut herself. It was a small one, should heal fast enough. Otherwise she is as you asked, no marks on her at all," he replied, his muffled voice bothering Levy as she was sure she had heard his before as well. "That mixture you gave me worked well enough. She is getting some movement back for now but I remember what you'd told me and didn't want to abuse it. I trust you can take it from here?" The blonde man gave him a dismissive wave, never breaking contact from the poor girl in front of him. There was a pause as neither man moved or spoke, her eyes going between them. Clearly the silence was bothering him as Kreem turned on his heel to glare at the man. "What about Redfox?" Kreem opened his mouth, pausing a moment before closing it. A raise of his eyebrow had the man shifting uncomfortably, changing the cargo to his other hand.

"I thought you said he wasn't aware of anything. That he wouldn't be a problem." There was another pause of silence, Levy's frantic gaze shifting between the two. Her heart pounded against her chest in fear at what they could possibly be planning against the dark haired bouncer.

"Somehow I feel he won't stop until he's found her. The fact that he came to my place has me nervous…"

"Then kill him." Levy let out a whimper, her fingers flexing as she stared at the masked man for his reaction. His attire made him hard to read, his body language giving nothing away. "I'll double what I gave you." The man glanced down at the case, as though he was doing the math in his head. The silence was driving Levy mad as the fate of the bouncer hung in the air. The stranger shifted uncomfortably.

"You know that's not my normal line of work. Perhaps you should use your money on someone else. As tempting an offer as that is, I'm afraid the risks would have me decline," he replied, bowing his head slightly. Levy relaxed for a moment, feeling that maybe anything that had to do with Gajeel would be either postponed or blown off. Kreem, however, only seemed annoyed, waving his hand again for the stranger to leave. Cautiously, the man made his retreat, leaving the same way he'd brought Levy in, moving towards a door that was beneath the stairway.

"No matter, I have someone else who can do it for me," Kreem murmured while looking down at his prize, watching her eyes widen again, "We can take care of Kurogane."

"...no…" He watched as more tears fell from her eyes. "Why…" Kreem kneeled down to be eye level with her, caressing her hair out of her face. She cringed as noticeably as she could, her body waking up from her drug induced coma. "...don't…" An eerie grin broke out across his face.

"As I once told Kurogane, I am a collector. I enjoy acquiring beautiful things and having them in my possession," he replied smoothly, moving a spare strand from her face. He watched as her eyes dilated, a realization of what he was speaking of dawning on her. He wanted her like a child would collect a figurine. He wanted her as if she were part of a set to put on display. "You needn't worry about anything. I shall never let anything harm you. Oh, how lonely I have been since my last doll…" he unlocked her wheelchair as he spoke, guiding her into another room. It was far too frilly and girly for her to believe it was his. The drapes were dark and heavy with lacy covers, the wallpaper being a dark gray and blue floral print with beige as the backdrop, and the fluffy white carpets made the noise of the wheels beneath her vanish. Many flowery, lacy dresses were on display on one side, with a load of accessories such as ribbons and flower clips lined up on a dresser. Her eyes scanned the room, feeling like she was in a little girl's fantasy. "I trust you like it, this is all for you. Everything." He stopped her, locking her wheels before wandering into the center of the room.

"Why are you… doing this…? I'm not... an object," she strained, finding it easier to speak as her limbs woke up more. He twirled around, as though he was dancing to music that only he could hear. As if his imagination couldn't handle it anymore, he waltzed over to a stereo, turning it on for a soft melody to waft throughout the room. Amidst his dancing, Kreem slinked over and released the belt that was holding Levy back in the seat. A strangled groan escaped her as he untied her wrists and pulled her into his swaying, dancing as though in a waltz. He felt her shiver, watching her form a glare as best she could. "Don't… touch me. Stop this…" His face grew blank, his brow coming down as he gave her a slight glare.

"Dolls don't speak." At hearing this, she felt her blood run cold. This man was seriously treating her as though she was a toy, something for him to play with and enjoy. Was this what he was doing when he was spending all that time at the club? Was he scoping out someone to pick for this? If she had not gone to see Gajeel… would she be here right now? Her thoughts went to the dark haired bouncer, thinking about how coldly Kreem had ordered for him to be put to death. His expression had been stern and frigid, his tone holding no doubts in what he wanted.

_'Is he really going to kill him? Oh God please…'_ She squeezed her eyes shut, wondering if she had any tears left with how much she'd cried. Her body jolted as she felt a silk cloth pressed to her face, finding him wiping the salty liquid away. "Monster…" Something seemed to pass through his face that had her flinch in fear, strangely happy when he put her back in the wheelchair. His grin had vanished, his body tense as he moved towards the window and pulling back the heavy curtain to peer out it while showing that it was in fact daytime. Levy had lost track of all time between being confined within that horrid room and being brought here with that bag over her head. How long had she been missing? The sight of sunlight brought a twinge of comfort until she watched him close it, turning back to give her a venomous glare.

"I wouldn't be mean like that if I were you," he mumbled, bringing his hands up to his face in thought as he wandered to the other side of the room. There wasn't as much clutter in this corner, a lone door to what appeared to be a closet. "The last one… she was mean… I warned her but she didn't listen… That's why I had the serum developed." As he spoke, he opened the door, letting out a heavy sigh as he peered into the small room. Levy couldn't see what he was looking at, trying to get a read off his face. His expression showed a sort of sadness and disappointment, his hand coming over his mouth in thought once again. "She was so pretty," he said with a great sigh. He pulled the door open fully, hearing Levy let out a strangled gasp as she was greeted with a decomposing corpse of a female, her body held back in a similar fashion on a wheelchair. The smell that washed over the area was unbearable, making her wonder how it hadn't escaped before this. Kreem looked at the body as though it was someone merely sleeping, shaking his head before turning towards Levy. "I did wish she lasted longer but alas. Such a shame…" He slammed the door shut, missing the sight of his blue haired guest jumping at the sound. Turning his glare back on her, he walked over, leaning on the arms of the chair and into her face. "It would be in your best interest to behave, get it?" He watched her chest heave as panic seized her body.

"What do you want from me?" She licked her lips as she waited for his reply, feeling lightheaded at the wave of emotions and adrenaline that assaulted her.

"I already told you. I collect beautiful things." He brought his hand down the side of her face, watching her flinch back. She could feel her body moving better as time went on, being able to keep herself up while sitting in the chair. She pulled back from him.

"So I'm just an item for you?"

"You are something to keep me company. You will never leave this place. Ever. You are now mine." His glare frightened her, the look he gave her making her feel more and more like this man was mentally unstable.

"You have no right!" she screamed, leaning forward and causing him to move back a bit in alarm. Realizing that she was becoming more mobile, he grasped her left wrist, using the belt harnesses to tie her to the wheelchair. "No, stop!" She lashed out, scratching at his face as he finished looping the first wrist restraint. Her nail caught him in the face, a cut forming near Kreem's left eye. Letting out a nasty snarl, he snatched her wrist, slamming it down as he tied it down like the other. "Please let me go… Don't do this," she sobbed, leaning her head down so that her hair covered her face.

"You'll learn to be compliant," he hissed, bringing his palm over his eye to stop the bleeding. Pulling his hand down and away from his face, he glared at the red liquid that covered it, an expression of rage coming over him. As she peered up at him, his hand flew, the loud slap startling her. "You will learn!" A sob racked her body, a loud scream piercing over the gentle music that was still playing. She glared up at him, her face red with anger and fear.

"You can't do this!" He began shaking until laughter took him over, throwing his head back as though everything was quite humorous to him all of a sudden. The crazed look in his eyes had her feeling the pit of her stomach clench, the dizziness returning.

"I already have," he crowed, pointing at her. "Also, don't think I have forgotten about Kurogane. I'll make sure he dies slow."

"No! Leave him alone, you bastard!" she spat, struggling against the bonds, feeling the leather bite into her skin. Now that she was finally able to move, she wanted so badly to lash out more, to inflict any sort of pain on him. He merely cackled at her attempts at breaking free, his pupils dilated as he watched her.

"Then you will have your spirit broken. You're mine, little girl. No one can help you now." Turning on his heel, he stormed out, leaving her bound and alone in the creepy, doll-like room.

\---

_"You remember that guy Bora? The night you took Levy out? What do you know about him?"_

_"I don't **know** anything about him. Why?"_

_"Cuz I followed his ass to some shitty part of town and he was acting weird…"_

_"So? Did you ask him?"_

_"Yeah but what more can I do?"_

_"We have to find her, Redfox!"_

_"Don't fucking yell at me like I don't know!"_

Gajeel thought back to the phone call he'd made to Cana after speaking with Bora, going over everything in his head until it was aching. He ran a hand through his hair, pacing some more in his condo with Lily at his heels. He hadn't been able to sleep at all and waiting for a decent hour to talk to anyone was driving him nuts. Loud meowing had him stopping, peering down to find Lily trying to get his attention. Scooping the feline up, he cradled him in his arms, patting his head.

"We gotta find her, buddy," he murmured, spacing out while staring at the wall. Lily rubbed his head against the hand that was petting him, purring deeply. His mind went back to his talk with Bora, remembering how he was acting dodgy. He'd been constantly avoiding eye contact and had started to sweat a little. So many little things that Gajeel had noticed but couldn't act on. He growled in frustration, hating how little he had to go on. He'd finally charged Levy's phone but the damn thing was password protected, of course. He'd asked Cana if she knew it but only got asked twenty questions on what she was doing at Lamia Scale that night. In his rage at her nagging he'd hung up, resorting to letting out a snarl that had Lily hiding for some time. Now the cat was finally back, feeling it was safer now that his master had calmed some. Gajeel continued to pet the feline, his mind racing at what he wanted to do. Suddenly, he turned and deposited the cat on the couch, waltzing into his bedroom and scouring his closet for something. There was a small crash, a curse falling from his lips. Lily followed him in, pouncing up into the bed in time for Gajeel to return with a small security box. The dark gray container bounced a bit as he dropped it on the mattress, turning towards his dresser to grab his keys. Upon popping it open, he peered down at the handgun inside, the box of ammo beside it rolling about as it moved. He pulled out the M1911, checking the chamber to make sure there wasn't a round in it before placing it on the bed. He pulled out the holster, placing it next to it before glancing at the cat. Lily was watching intently, his head cocked to the side as though studying what his master was doing. At Gajeel's pause, he turned and looked up at him, letting out a loud meow. Giving a soft smile, Gajeel brought his hand up, massaging behind the cat's ears. After a moment, Gajeel gave a sigh, pivoting towards the bathroom and turning on the shower. About ten minutes later he was showered and in new clothes, tying the holster around his right thigh over his dark blue jeans. Once it was fitted, he grabbed the handgun, fishing out the cleaning solution from the box, sitting in the bed, and working on the barrel. Lily returned with a vengeance, climbing up into his lap and getting in his way. "Cat, what are you doing?" he mumbled, jolting back when his tail twirled in his face. He let out a small laugh, shoving the feline to his side lightly before continuing with his work. "So what do you think? Think this Bora guy knows something?* He glanced at Lily, earning a meow. "I thought so too." he said, pulling the slide back to make sure he got everything. Satisfied that it was taken care of, Gajeel placed the gun down on the bed, moving to his closet to grab a white button down, keeping the top two buttons undone and fixing the collar. Grabbing some socks and his black boots, he sat beside Lily again, earning the feline's tail in his face once more. "Knock it off. Do you want something?" Moving to his dresser, Gajeel pulled his gloves on before grabbing his phone, dialing Cana's number and wedging it between his head and shoulder, grabbing his keys and such while waiting for the dial tone. Two rings later the brunette answered, giving no greeting.

"You find her?"

"Did you?" he snapped back, feeling almost like she was merely sitting by the phone waiting for things to happen. At hearing her give an exaggerated sigh, he rolled his eyes.

"I tried looking into this Bora guy for you. Nothing comes up." He frowned, raising an eyebrow.

"What do you mean? What ya do? Google search?" he said sarcastically, getting fed up with her. He really couldn't see why Levy was associated with her. Between her troublesome habits and her personality, it was an opposites sort of deal.

"No, you ass. I had my father pull some strings. Don't be so grouchy," she muttered back. "Anyway, there wasn't anything in the file. And I literally mean nothing. It's like this guy was given a clean slate. Probably some shady stuff that's under the tables." Gajeel grabbed a dark brown waist coat, pulling it on and checking himself in the mirror to make sure his holster was covered before putting the M1911 in it.

"So what does that mean?" he asked, letting out a sigh while pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Means he's probably in some fishy business and you're probably right to be wary of him."

"Wouldn't that be enough for the cops to look into it?" There was a pause, the silence driving Gajeel crazy and forcing him to pace again. Lily jumped up on the dresser next to him, his tail swishing around him as he sat down to watch his master.

"I don't think so. It's just speculation at this point," she replied.

"So what's the point? We're wasting time here." He brought his hand up to pet Lily, hoping it would help calm him down before he said something he'd regret to this woman.

"You called me! I'm just giving you whatever I got," she spat back. He leaned forward on his arm against his dresser, closing his eyes and chalking it up to getting no sleep.

"Sorry… I'm a little irritable…" he murmured, looking down with his eyes still closed, "I just… you didn't see the tape… I need to find her." He felt the silence on the other end this time was her letting the thought sink in, as though she were trying to understand how it felt to see Levy being taken in a crappy security video. "Seeing her like that… it's frightening." She stayed quiet, letting him vent, "It was like watching a horror movie, only you know the victim and can't fix it. The fact that it was at the place I'm in every day… it's driving me crazy." Cana felt her throat squeeze as she tried to stop herself from crying. All the bickering and smart comments aside, she could hear in his voice how much this was eating away at him. "I just don't know what to do right now…"

"Well… did the police say anything?"

"I didn't hear anything from anyone," he said, leaning up and stretching. "They call you?"

"No." He'd received a message from Lyon that he and Juvia had brought the tapes to the police. Between that and Cana's call, they had all they needed to look for her. "To be honest it hasn't been long since we talked to them." He didn't care, he couldn't sit still.

"I'm gonna go out. Ride around town."

"Gajeel-"

"I can't just sit here! I'll go mad!" More silence greeted him. He knew he shouldn't have raised his voice but it was all coming up. All the emotions he was restraining.

"You love her… don't you…?" He paused, staring at his reflection in the mirror above his dresser, watching himself go wide eyed. He knew for sure he liked her. Everything about her was adorable and his urge to protect her was there from day one. He blinked repeatedly, trying to get his thoughts straight until Cana's voice broke through. "You're a good man, Gajeel." Now he knew he was dreaming. Princess Drunk giving him compliments? He pinched his cheek, flinching at the pain and rubbing it afterwards. Nope. This was reality.

"Are you drunk?" He heard her suck in a sharp breath, clearly pissing her off.

"Why are you like that?!"

"Cuz of who I'm talkin' to," he said with a laugh. He could hear her muttering to herself, a small smile coming over him, "Thanks," he mumbled into the phone, covering his face with his hand as he felt tears threatening him. "Listen I'll call later. Keep me posted on anything." Ending the call, Gajeel leaned forward against the dresser again, thinking of what Cana said. He thought back to Levy smiling at him, offering him something to drink, or when they would chat in the library. His eyes darted up to find he was blushing. "Tch, this isn't the time to be thinking of these things." He gave Lily one more pet on the head before heading to the door.

\---

The sound of curtains being drawn back stirred Levy from her sleep, her body pulling back to rest fully in her confined chair. After raging the previous evening, Kreem had left her in the room all alone, not once returning before this. Her body ached from the awkward sleeping position, her back and arms sore from slumping forward. She tried her best to stretch, her body only having so much to work with in terms of mobility. Kreem appeared before her, holding a bowl. Pulling up a chair, he sat before her, staring at her silently for a moment. He could see her dried tears, the salt leaving trails down her face. Her hair was in a mess and her tattered dress bothered him, his eyes sliding over to one of the frilly and puffy ones he had ready for her.

"Morning, my lovely. I trust you are hungry," he said, watching for her reaction before taking a spoonful of the oatmeal he'd brought. She looked up at him wearily before glancing at the food. A strong part of her wanted to kick him away but her mind told her to behave, her eyes moving over to the closet door in the corner. Whatever that room was made of, it kept the smell at bay. If not for the knowledge of it, she would have never known there was a dead woman in there. Her eyes came back to see his unamused expression, seeing he didn't like being ignored. She glanced at the spoon presented before her.

_'I guess he wouldn't poison it. No point in paying that man just to kill me,'_ she responded to herself, opening her mouth. Even with that mindset, she didn't want to push her luck with this man, her brain feeding her the image of the dead woman again.

"There's a good girl," he whispered as he fed her. She hated this. Is this what he wanted her for? To take care of her like a child? She moved her wrists slightly, testing to see if he'd messed with them at all while she was sleeping. A shiver passed through her at the thought of being so vulnerable. The oatmeal was really smooth with just a tad too much sugar for her liking but she did her best to not show any reaction, afraid of what he might do. Still, she had to know,

"Why are you doing this?" He paused in his actions, giving her a blank look as though the question irked him.

"I thought I told you: dolls don't speak."

"That's all I am to you?! A doll?!" She pulled at the restraints, watching him back his seat from her a little. "You're sick!" She regretted it the moment the words left her mouth, watching his expression go from nothing to pure rage. However, he merely returned the spoon to the bowl and stood, placing it on the nearby table. In all honesty, she wasn't sure what scared her more: his anger or when he tried to remain calm. He'd already proven that both were dangerous. As he took a step towards her, she couldn't stop her body from reflectively flinching back, her head coming down towards her chest as she braced for anything. He unlocked the wheels, walking behind her and pushing her along to the next room. "W-what are y-you doing?" His silence tortured her until they entered a large white tiled bathroom, a full shower and bath on one side and a toilet and sink on the other. There were no mirrors or windows, only a really tiny vent near the top of the high ceiling. Her eyes scanned the area while he loosened the wrist restraints. Once free, she was greeted by a knife in the face, the blade causing her to push back in her seat.

"I want you to get ready. Clean and do whatever you need. I expect you to be done within the hour. Try anything and I promise you will suffer for it." His icy tone left little for discussion, causing her to nod slowly while keeping an eye on the knife. "Don't worry about clothing. I have something for you when you are ready." He walked backwards, keeping the blade up and his eyes on her until he reached the door, closing and locking it loudly. Letting out the breath she was holding, Levy climbed out of the chair, thankful for being able to use her legs after all this time. She wobbled a moment, catching herself on the edge of the sink. There wasn't much to the room, the only things not tied down being an array of soaps and towels. She glanced down at the wheelchair, looking it over for anything that could pop off and be used. She was so desperate at this point, even a small piece of metal would have given her hope. Anything that would normally break or come off was welded on, leaving her to believe he'd been doing this sort of thing a long time. She shivered again at the thought.

_'How many girls were before me? Before that one in the closet? Did he leave her in there to show me I'm expendable!?'_ she mused over these horrifying thoughts before deciding to shower as he told her. She feared what awaited should she not be ready when he asked. While under the spray, she could swear she'd heard the door open, causing her to press against the wall in fear. Peeking out, she saw that he'd left her a dress, the gaudy pink lace on it making her cringe. Finishing as fast as she could, she toweled off her hair, frowning at there being no mirror. Others had probably broken it for weapons. It was what she was going to do herself. After finishing with everything, she pulled at the gown he'd left, holding it up against herself. It was a dark pink with puffy sleeves that ended in the middle of her forearms, the skirt billowing out generously from the waist. Still, if needed, she could sit comfortably but she wouldn't be able to run in it at all. Upon putting it on, she grimaced that others before her might have been a tad bigger in the chest, feeling it to be a little loose and the skirt too long, the fabric dragging against the tile floor. She heard the door open behind her, finding Kreem with a pistol this time, a smile coming across his face at the sight of her.

"What a lovely vision you are…" he whispered, his crazed smile giving her chills. She fought the urge to vomit, keeping her eye on the weapon in his hand. If he was twitchy before without anything, she didn't want to chance his rage with that. "Sit." He motioned towards the wheelchair, watching her hurry as best she could to do as she was told. "Hmm pink doesn't really match your hair," he murmured, touching her wet strands as he put the gun away and tied her down again. Her brows furrowed at watching him trap her once more, observing him unlock the wheels and guide her back to that horrid room. "We'll have to get things more suited for you. Such fun we can have." So this was it. He really was just treating her like a toy. A doll for him to dress up and enjoy. "You're so small." She couldn't help but puff her cheeks, thinking he was referring to her chest. "We'll have to get some of these resized so it doesn't drag." Oh, he meant her in general. It was bad enough she was kidnapped, she was in no mood to add insults to it. She observed as he moved to where the accessories were, looking them over. After deciding on something, he came up to her with a beige hat with white flowers, placing it on her head.

"Please let me go," she whispered. She felt like the victim in some sort of horror movie. The crazed villain keeping someone just to fill some need that his mental tick required in order to function. _'Oh my God, what if this is what this is about? It would explain why he gets so flustered when I talk… please tell me this is a nightmare…'_ She glanced back at the closet before slumping in the chair, defeated.

\---

Two days went by with the same thing happening. Kreem would come in and feed her before starting all over. This time he seemed to be extra happy, telling her that they had a guest and also her new dresses had arrived. She gave him a dull expression, her face stained with tears from crying herself to sleep. Her body ached from being in the wheelchair constantly, looking forward to when she'd be allowed up. After everything was done, she had been given a white sundress with light pink floral print. Even though he didn't feel it suited her, he still wanted some kind of pink on her. He finished putting light pink ribbons in her hair when a firm knock sounded on the door. He leaned back, turning his head over his shoulder slightly.

"Come in," he called, keeping a hand on his pistol just in case. Clearly, he knew who this was, Levy just figured his mental tick had him braced regardless. A tall, thin man entered, his dark straight hair reaching his shoulders and his thin mustache coming down around his mouth. His eyes were very squinty, covered by thick bushy eyebrows. His face and jaw were long, his dark lips peeled back in an eerie smile as he bowed down. "Ah, Jose. I'm glad you got my message."

"Anything to please you, my lord. How might I offer you my assistance?" His voice was deep, the tone giving Levy the chills. Kreem wandered towards one of the nearby tables, pulling a photo off it, turning it in his hands a bit before walking up to the newcomer. Levy caught a glimpse, gasping at seeing Gajeel on it. The image looked as though it was taken from a distance, looking like he was on his way home from work, walking home. She began pulling at her restrains, her resolve renewed at the thought that the bouncer was being threatened.

"I need you to get rid of this man. He troubles me. Such a shame. He's fun to mess with," he said nonchalantly.

"No! Don't please!" He turned on his heel at Levy's sobbing, glaring at her. "Don't hurt him…" Jose watched in silence as Kreem tried calming himself, clearly wanting to go over and reprimand her for screaming. "I'll do anything you want. Just don't hurt him."

"As tempting as that is, Kurogane brought this on himself. I'm afraid your whining is no good. Now be silent," Kreem hissed, his eyes flashing. He watched her continue to tug at the bonds, further flaring his anger. He spun towards Jose who straightened up at having the blonde looking at him again. "If it is at all possible: I would like it if you brought him here before killing him. If you can do that I'll double what I offered." Jose's eyes lit up, an evil grin crossing his face. "Regardless of what happens, I need to see him dead or alive. You understand?" Levy let out an ear piercing scream, causing both men to flinch. Clearly he'd wanted her aware of what was going on or he'd have left the room. He was taunting her. As he'd said, he was breaking her spirit. Jose gave a small bow, a wide, wicked grin forming across his face that sent a chill down Levy's spine.

"I shall enjoy making him suffer. As my lord commands."

\---

**Oh no~! Poor Levy~!**

**Gajeel seems to be in a bit of trouble as well, he just doesn't know it yet.**

**Please let me know what you think, I look forward to hearing from you ^ ^**


	12. Is this real

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gajeel is still on the hunt, more determined than ever.

**Lots of hugs to everyone reviewing~! You guys are truly what keeps me going ^ ^**

**It makes me so happy to hear from you guys! Really enjoying talking to you.**

**Thanks to my sexy man for the editing assistance~!**

\---

Everyday, Gajeel would ride around town, asking people if anyone had seen Levy or if anyone heard of any kidnappings. Each day, he visited the house that he'd seen Bora at, not once ever seeing the dark haired male again but keeping a safe distance. While he suspected things, he really didn't need to be arrested for trespassing. However with each visit, he felt more and more like the place was abandoned. No one ever came or went and there were never any lights on. Nothing happened when he'd scope it out. By the fourth day, he'd figured at this point that Bora was completely gone with his 'cousin' never showing. Waiting for the cover of night, Gajeel arrived at the house, making sure the coast was clear before going closer. Bringing his bike near the side, Gajeel snuck to the backyard, hopping over the short rusted fence, making sure his brown waistcoat didn't catch on it. As he waded through the tall grass he really hoped nothing was crawling up his pant legs, the promise of ticks and such would definitely be living there. Closing in on one of the windows he brought his hand up, covering any sort of light, trying to get a look inside. The same basic setup was there when he'd snuck a look inside the first time, simple couch, table and chairs with a plain kitchen. Nothing seemed disturbed or used, leaving him to believe that no one had been there since. He mentally kicked himself for not having the balls to check sooner but spending time in jail wasn't exactly smart either. Pulling back, he glanced around for any signs of life before moving to the back door and elbowing the window. At the loud crash, he knelt down behind the door, listening for anyone to come running from inside. After a good few minutes with no results he stood back up, sliding his hand through carefully to unlock the door. The crunch of broken glass under his boots was the only noise to greet him as he slowly stepped in, gently closing the door behind himself. The house was deathly quiet, his own breathing being the only other sound left. Any other windows were covered up, leaving it really dark inside. As he walked about he saw dust everywhere, showing the house was used very little even before Bora was ever there.

"The fuck is this all about then…" He scoured the living room, finding nothing before moving to the kitchen. On one of the tables he saw that dirt had been moved about as if it was used, finding a blank writing pad. Picking it up, he noticed there was some imprint from whoever had used it last. Shoving it in his pocket, he moved to the upstairs, finding a nightstand and a broken lamp in the hallway. There were only two bedrooms, the first looking untouched and the windows covered up to block sunlight which at this point had now fully retreated for the evening, leaving it completely dark. Pulling out a penlight, he scanned it quickly, finding the dust in there to be undisturbed as well. The second room had no windows at all, a lone bed in the middle. Upon closer inspection, he spotted rope tied around the top posts, feeling fear swell up in his gut. He checked beneath and around it, finding as fray of black cloth stuck to the edge of the frame between it and the mattress. He rubbed it between his index and thumb slowly, staring at it in thought. Levy had been wearing a black dress last, a memory of seeing her twirl about from the catwalk flashing through his mind. He closed his eyes, letting out a curse before bringing it up and smelling flowers and ink. His pretty little librarian. Putting the cloth in his pocket, he gave the room one more look before heading back downstairs. His eye caught the waste basket, peeking in to see the remnants of a black sandal. It was so small. "This could be… fuck…" He was sure Levy had been wearing something like this. He still had no definite proof of anything, his mind very well could have been convincing him this was hers. He rubbed his forehead in frustration until bright lights from outside coming in had him tossing the sandal back in the bin and diving to the ground for cover. He was thankful he was wearing dark colors today, his midnight blue button down and dark gray jeans helping him hide in the shadows. Putting his penlight away and making sure his phone was on silent, he tried peeking out to see what was outside to spy a large, dark truck. "Not liking the looks of this," he muttered, inching his way towards the back, staying low on his thighs. Crouching that low was killing him but it was better than being caught by whoever was outside. "Four fucking days I do nothing. Someone shows on the fourth… for fucks sake," he mumbled, reaching for the knob and turning it slowly. He stopped and ducked behind the couch as the front door was broken into, trying to slow his breathing. Pulling his gun from its holster, he kept his trigger finger straight along the gun, flicking the safety off. When he felt it was safe, he peered around the side, spotting a tall, thin man walking through the house as though he were searching for something. _'Definitely not Bora. Was he really telling the truth about a cousin?'_ He watched as the man disappeared upstairs, taking this chance to sneak out and jump the fence as quickly as possible. Getting to his bike near the tree, he leaned against it, calming his heart and putting his gun away before grabbing the handles and rushing towards the street. From a safe distance, he turned to check on the intruder, finding him already outside and getting back in his black Explorer. From his hiding place he could see the man had thick eyebrows, dark lips and a thin mustache that bordered his mouth. "What a fuckin' weirdo…" Once the vehicle was gone, Gajeel made his way back into town, feeling he'd explored everything he could from that house. Racing to his condo, he walked in depositing the cloth and notepad on the counter for Lily to inspect while he took his coat off. The cat seemed unamused, looking over at him and letting out a big meow. "Well it's not for you," he replied, fishing through a drawer for a pencil. Coming back to the pad, he used the side of the pencil to shade the whole page, an address appearing from what was previously pressed into it. "Gotcha." He grabbed his phone from his coat, punching in the address and letting the map load up. He blinked a bit as the mansion he'd previously visited showed up. As he glanced outside his window towards the night sky, his phone lit up, Lyon's picture appearing on his cell. "Hey, what's up?"

"Gajeel, you doing ok?" The tone Lyon had made him nervous.

"Other than not sleeping, I'm fine. Why?"

"Some creepy guy just came in here looking for you. What are you up to lately?" The ruby eyed male glared at his window, a look of confusion crossing his face. There was no way…

"What did he look like?"

"Tall and lean, dark hair and mustache. He was really weird." Gajeel froze, a chill going down his spine. That's two places now that the man appeared where he'd gone and all this evening. Was this guy following him? He spotted Lily climbing up on the windowsill, rubbing the cat on the head as he thought.

"Where is he now?"

"Natsu and Gray are getting rid of him now. They just hauled him out." Gajeel bit his lower lip, his brow furrowed in thought. "You're not doing something illegal looking for that girl, are you?"

"What? No," he snapped back, running a hand through his hair. His eyes darted over to the items he'd found when he broke into that strange house. Ignorance truly was bliss. _'That guy didn't look like someone of the law. More like a stalker…'_ Gajeel turned back away from the window, finding Lily with the black cloth in his mouth. "Oi, Lily! Gimme that!" On the other end, Lyon heard a crash, pulling the phone away from his ear a moment.

"Gajeel?" There was some shuffling heard, along with a grumble as he came back.

"I'm here. Sorry. Cat," he mumbled, tucking the retrieved fabric into his back pocket. "Anyways, thanks for the heads up. I promise I'm fine. I'll talk to you." Before he could hear a reply, Gajeel clicked his cell off, placing it down on the table next to the notepad. He rubbed his eyes, letting out a sigh. This strange man was making him nervous now. The odds of him just going to the club where he worked, no big deal, but showing up at that house? There was no denying there was something going on. _'What if he is looking for me and he shows here?'_ He turned and grabbed his coat, snatching his phone and putting it in his pocket. "Lily! Where are ya?" He spun on his heel until he spotted the feline in his bedroom doorway. Walking over, he had to chase him as Lily bolted from probably still being scared from the cloth retrieval. He scooped him up, grabbing his pet carrier, and making sure everything was locked as he headed out. Pouring the cat inside the bag, Gajeel shot a text over to Juvia, asking if he could drop Lily off at her place. The last thing he wanted was for this guy to creep his way over and have the chance to do something to Lily. After a few minutes, she replied with a yes along with asking whether he was ok. He texted her back with a thanks and that he was fine before setting Lily's carrier on his bike. His constant meowing had him letting out a sigh. "I'm doing this for you. Hush." A ten minute ride downtown had him at Juvia's place, pulling the key from the hide-away to open it up and leave the animal. After setting everything back, he sent her a text letting her know the situation before putting his phone away. "Only thing left to do now I guess is check out that other place," he murmured to himself as he pulled his helmet on, pulling the visor into place before hitting the throttle and taking off.

\---

Gajeel wasted no time in making his way back to the upper crust part of town, once again staring down the dark mansion from the great distance of the driveway. With the sun fully gone, the cover of night was helping him blend in. A quick glance at his phone to make sure it was on silent, he noticed it was now early morning, the digital readout showing 4:27 am. He hid his bike where he had last time along the tree, grabbing the edge of the brick wall and hoisting himself over. Keeping in a low crouch, he began crawling his way up towards the house, keeping an eye out for any movement. As he got closer he resorted to hiding in the bushes a bit, the morning dew from the leaves giving him a chill as the water hit him. Closing in on the door, he tried peeking through the tiny windows that decorated the sides of the doorway, only seeing parts of a large foyer. Pulling back a bit, he glanced in both directions, not seeing anything in particular before picking a random direction to start exploring, moving to his right. Keeping close against the house, he checked every window he found, almost all of them being covered by a dark curtain.

"Tch, what a pain…" he mumbled, looking around to make sure there was no one outside with him. As he approached the next one, a sliver of soft light shined, signaling this one's curtain might have been slightly open. Carefully peering through, he saw that the curtain was indeed stuck, only being open the tiniest bit. A small surge of victory went through him until he glanced inside, feeling his heart stop. There, in the middle of a gaudy room of what looked like a child's dollhouse was his tiny woman. His blue haired fairy. "Levy…" Her body was slumped forward, her hair covering her face. He could see she was strapped down to the wheelchair she was in, straps on her wrists and one across her chest. He couldn't stop himself as he gave a small tap on the window, watching her stir. She gave a small stretch before looking around, her expression tired and her movements seeming almost limited. Giving one more tap, he watched as her head slowly moved towards him, a wash of relief coming over her face. He examined the window a moment before testing to see if it was open, being pleasantly surprised when it gave way. It opened smoothly and quietly, making it easy for him to climb through before shutting it behind him. "Levy," he whispered as he crept over, watching her eyes shimmer with tears. Still she made no noise, her mouth opening and closing as though she were trying to form words. Giving her a confused expression, he leaned forward, bringing his ear close.

"Hiiii...de.. hiiii...de."

"What?" he hissed, "Why?" As if to answer him, the clicking of shoes could be heard outside the door on the far left of the room, a light appearing beneath the frame. "Shit!" He gave a quick spin, spying what looked like a closet in the corner before bolting towards it, hearing a small whimper from Levy before taking the handle and rushing in. His senses are assaulted as the horrid stench of decay welcomed him, his hand clamping over his mouth as he pushed his back to the wall. His left hand fumbled in fishing out his penlight, clicking it on and being greeted by a dead body. He went wide eyed, trying to pace his breathing as he heard someone enter the room Levy was in.

"Morning, my lovely. How do you fair? I thought I would check on you earlier given your… condition…" Gajeel's studded brow came down hard at hearing that sniveling brat's voice. "Hmm I guess given how you are I can't give you anything to eat yet."

_'How she is? What did he do to her?!'_ He listened as best he could, hearing Kreem say something about getting ready for the day. It felt like forever until Gajeel deemed it safe enough to leave, gasping for air as he sprang from the room. He closed the door as quietly as he could, his face pale from trying to hold his breath. A quick scan had him spotting an open door on the opposite side, probably unable to close it from having his hands full from pushing the wheelchair. Going over as silently as he could, Gajeel pressed his back against the wall next to the opening, sneaking a look to find a hallway with an open door on the other side. Kreem's voice echoed off the walls from inside the room across.

"I'll be back in ten minutes, if you can't do things yourself: I'll be helping you. Be a good girl, won't you?" Gajeel watched as Kreem closed the heavy door, the lock clicking into place before walking off down the hall. Inside the large bathroom, Levy moved to climb out of the chair, falling forward and just barely catching herself before crashing onto the tile floor. The previous day, she'd angered him too much with asking about Gajeel to the point where he'd held her down to give her the serum that the masked man had used on her. It was finally beginning to wear off, her body waking up from it's drug induced paralysis. Levy let out a long breath, enjoying the cool of the tile on her hands and face before gathering the strength to attempt to push herself up. Her arms wobbled a bit before she fell back down, letting out a small sob at how powerless she was. Her eyes turned towards the door, wondering if Gajeel was alright. As if hearing her thoughts, a harsh, low whisper came through the door.

"Levy, are you in there?"

"Gaj... Gajeel…" She heard the handle as he was clearly tugging at it, trying to find any sort of weakness in the door.

"Fuck… this thing is solid…" As he continued muttering, she used what little energy she had to pull herself closer to the door, her hope renewed that he was not only here but safe. Her mind had been plagued with grief ever since that man Jose has left with a cruel grin on his face. The promise of death leaving with him. Now, somehow, Gajeel was just on the other side of this door. "I...I don't think I can open this, Levy…" She leaned against the door, breathing heavy from the strain.

"It's ok… he'll let me out soon… Brings me… Back to the room…" she moved her hair from her face, gulping in air. He bit his lip, not liking his options. He pondered if he should jump Kreem when he came back to check on her. Though he didn't like that he needed him to open the door and therefore making her a hostage. He needed to think this through. "Gajeel?" He frowned at how weak she sounded, remembering how drained she had looked.

"I'm here. Don't worry, I'm not leaving without you," he whispered, "I'm going to check around. I need him to let you out." There was a pause, her small voice finally answering.

"Ok… so glad… you're safe…"

_'Safe? What does that mean?'_ He glanced back at the doll room, considering just hiding in there until Kreem left her alone. Though he wasn't sure where he'd hide that didn't have a body. "I'll be here. Gonna check the place out." Inside the bathroom, Levy glided her hand across the door.

_'He's really there… right?'_ She began struggling to crawl back over towards the bath, the thought of Kreem helping her with anything of the sort giving her the creeps. Once she'd finally reached the bathtub, she weakly reached up to turn on the water. The loud click of the door caught her attention as Kreem returned, observing her attempts. While waiting for the water to fill, she sat down with her back against the tub, pulling her legs in.

"My, my. It seems I should use that serum in a smaller dose." He walked beside her, giving her a blank look before turning his eyes to the tub and adding bubble mix. "Seems I'll need to assist you." Her eyes grew wide.

"No… I've got it," she replied, feeling as her voice became stronger, "It'll just be a bit longer." He raised his hand, watching her flinch and turn her head away.

"Did you just speak back?" He watched as she shook her head, blue strands fluttering. He leaned forward to crank the water off before looking back down at her. "Show me you can stand and I'll let you be." Determined not to have his help, Levy sucked in a breath, using everything she had to fight off the effects and climb up. Her arms and legs wobbled, her will the only thing aiding her now. As she moved to stand at full height, her legs gave out, causing her to fall forward and into his arms. "You can't. Now let me help you." Outside the room, Gajeel seethed at how he spoke to her. It was as though she were a mere servant and he was teaching her discipline. He wanted nothing more than to march in there and rip him apart but he didn't know if the bastard had any weapons. Inside, Levy tried one more time to stand by herself, pushing away from him and letting herself steady. He waited, knowing she was going to fall again but was surprised when she stayed put. "Fine, I'll be back in 30 minutes to check on you. You'd best be done by then." At hearing that, Gajeel bolted away from the door, hiding around the corner as Kreem slammed the heavy door closed and walked away. He watched the lanky son of a bitch move back into the doll room, coming back with a long white gown with a low cut chest and no sleeves. Gajeel watched with curiosity as Kreem quickly opened the door, placed it inside, and shut it before leaving. After a few minutes with nothing else going on, Gajeel emerged from the other side, eyeing his surroundings before sneaking back into the doll room. The decor was ghastly, the amount of lace and frills on the curtains and the displayed dresses making him cringe. He scanned the nearby tables, finding ribbons and hats. The more he saw, the more he was just completely dumbfounded. What exactly was Kreem into that he had a place like this? Was this all for Levy? He spotted a picture turned upside down on one of the tables, the photo sitting freely without a frame. A quick glance to make sure he was still alone, he picked it up, jolting back when he saw it was of him. If he saw it right, it was when he was walking to the diner to get his bike for the evening, his hands in his pockets and his gaze on the ground as though he were in thought.

_'Why would he have this? Who the fuck even took this!?'_ He dropped the photo, feeling a shiver run down his spine. Turning back to what was at hand, he quietly moved over to the left side of the room, trying his best to open the door in which Kreem had originally came from. He recognized the foyer that he'd seen earlier, knowing that he was in fact right near the front door. He pondered whether there was an alarm on the door, considering grabbing Levy when he could and simply rushing through. Kreem seemed like he was alone, no servants or guards being seen as of yet. Even outside, the mansion had an emptiness to it compared to anything else in the area. Turning back to the terrible room, Gajeel glanced around for anything else that might be of help, only finding what a girl would have for her dolls: dresses of varying designs, accessories, and polished shoes. His eyes turned towards the closet in the corner, noticing he didn't smell that horrid stench he'd been trapped with earlier. He brought a hand over his face, letting out a small sigh. _'I don't really want to hide in there but it might be the safest bet. The hell is he doing with something like that anyways? Does Levy know?'_ As he pondered, the sound of shoes echoing caught his attention, hearing the door in the hall open.

"Ahhh now that's better. Such a good girl," Kreem said, his voice reverberating off the walls. Levy had managed to get ready and get the dress on. She was currently sitting on the cold, hard floor, the long dress billowing out around her. Her chest heaved at the effort it took to do everything, her body still waking from the drug. "Now do come sit." She lifted her arm weakly, allowing it to fall to show she was tired without speaking. Kreem seemed more than happy to lift her up himself and place her in the chair, tying her down. He leaned down, brushing his fingers along her wet hair and watching her flinch away. "I have a hair dryer in the room, let's get this all done." He unlocked her, pushing her back into her dollhouse and setting her up in the middle as usual. He moved to the other side, turning on some music while grabbing a brush and dryer. While he was busy, Levy scanned the room, beginning to feel like she'd imagined Gajeel ever being there.

_'Oh God am I losing it? Was he really here?'_ She watched as Kreem plugged in the dryer, testing it a moment before grabbing the brush and starting on her hair. She felt Kreem grab her chin, lifting her head so she would look forward. "That hurts," she whispered, earning him slamming the brush against the chair to startle her. The fact that her body reflexively flinched had her feeling better about the drug wearing down. Without moving her head, she glanced around. _'Please tell me I wasn't going insane…'_ Time seemed to slow, the whirling noise of the hair dryer becoming a dull hum as Levy felt a wave of loneliness wash over her. _'It's over. You've lost it, Levy. You've been in this still place so long that you're imagining Gajeel coming through the window for you…'_ Her body slumped in the seat, catching her captor's attention.

"What troubles you, lovely?" She twitched at his words, wanting so much to scream at him. The thought of him hitting her again had her keep still, refusing to make eye contact. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him moving, placing the dryer down and untying her restraints. "Perhaps, you fancy a dance?" He pulled her effortlessly from her chair, hearing her whimper in protest. She hated when he did this, figuring it was worth him being mad at her.

"No, I really don't," she murmured, watching him glare. Without warning, he dropped her, her body crumpling to the floor. Pulling herself into a sitting position, she glared up at him. "I don't understand why you do this. Besides, clearly I don't make you happy." He leaned down, grabbing her by her throat and yanking her up, hearing her strangled gasp.

"That is why I'll teach you. Given the right time, anything can be broken. I'm sure Jose will bring me what I need for you soon enough." Her eyes went wide, an image of Gajeel smiling at her flashing through her mind.

"N-No…" She pried at his hand, feeling how drained she still was. He practically threw her back in the chair, pulling the restraints back on as she began crying.

"Seems to me someone needs to be alone right now. Perhaps we should show her what happens when she doesn't listen," he said as he worked. Levy tried her best to pull away from him, the way he spoke as if it were to a third party was frightening her. He was always so unpredictable when he was lost in his mind, his mentality seemingly slipping away. "Maybe some time with the last houseguest will help," he said while leaning on the arms of the chair, his pupils dilated.

"N-No, please don't do that again. I-I'll stop. Please…" She didn't think he would teeter so much. He'd done it once before when she'd first gotten there, leaving her with the dead girl in the closet with no light at all. The stifling air and the knowledge of a corpse before her had her going crazy. She knew her pleading fell on deaf ears but she felt she had to try. If there was one thing she'd learned that Kreem did, it was make good on his threats. "Please… I'll behave."

"Oh I know you will, no need to worry about that." He leaned back, moving towards the closet and opening it wide, the girl's deathly face greeting him. "I'm sure you both have much to talk about." He wheeled her in, the two of them face to face. Levy looked over her shoulder, her eyes glistening with tears. His cold expression was all she got as he slowly closed the door, her scream fading out as it clicked shut. He listened to her muffled sobbing a moment, pondering how long he should leave her in there this time as he moved to put the hair products away. Just as he put the brush in the dresser drawer, the sharp click of a gun hammer pulling back sounded over the soft music, causing him to straighten.

"Don't fucking move. Do anything and you die," came a low growl. In spite of the position he was in, a cruel smile formed on Kreem's face as he looked over his shoulder to see blazing red eyes glaring at him.

"Well, well, Kurogane, I must say: I did not expect to be seeing you so soon and without an escort." He turned to fully face him, bringing his hands up. Gajeel moved forward, keeping an eye on him while he checked the inside of Kreem's dress coat, finding a pistol. He glanced at the old fashion weapon, unloading it fast and tossing it back.

"I knew you were a sick sonovabitch when I first saw ya," he hissed, keeping his M1911 trained on his face. "But this is something else. You're pretty messed up…"

"I don't think-" a gunshot just missing his head had him freezing, his eyes wide as he watched Gajeel not even flinch from firing. A muffled scream could be heard, clearly from Levy.

"No talking. Given time I think you'll learn," he replied, quoting when Kreem was yelling at Levy. "I'm taking her back and if you try anything, I'll kill you." The fact that Kreem not only remained calm but didn't try to fight against him had him bothered. He glanced around the room, making sure there wasn't something going on he wasn't aware of. When his gaze landed back on the blonde, his creepy grin had his blood boiling. He waltzed up, bringing his arm up and bashing him in the face to knock him out. A quick poke with the toe of his boot had him still suspicious that the blonde was up to something. He'd been too cool and collect for what was going on. One last look around the room, Gajeel waltzed up to the closet, opening it and pulling Levy out fast. She gasped at the motion, looking over her shoulder.

"G-Gajeel, it's really you…" She watched him fumble with the buckles before finally pulling her out of the wheelchair into a tight hug. As she buried her face into his neck he could feel all the tears, a rage boiling within him. "I was beginning to think I'd gone crazy." For a moment he merely held her, feeling how frail she'd become in nearly a week. Her aroma of flowers and ink was gone, the stench of decay from being trapped in the closet being the only thing he could smell at the moment. His gaze moved towards the corpse, bringing out his phone to take a picture of it to show the police. "I'm so happy you're here…" Her voice was low and weak, her body going limp. He gripped her around the waist, checking her for any wounds. Her wrists were slightly bruised from fighting against the restraints so much. Her throat was red, slight bruising from Kreem's earlier assault. He could only imagine what else he'd put her through and what might have been hidden by the dress.

"Levy!"

"I'm sorry, I'm just still so weak from the drugs…" she mumbled, trying her best to hold onto his shoulders. She was still not sure this was real, her mind having endured such trauma in such a short time. With Kreem, anything was possible. She figured she would be mentally gone before any sort of rescue happened. She watched as Gajeel's brow came down, an angered expression crossing his face.

_'What? Is that what he's been doing to control her!? This sick bastard…'_ Without waiting for any other response, he leaned down and scooped her legs up. "Let's get you out of here." His gaze fell on the blonde again, tempted to check him again to make sure he wasn't faking. His eyes flickered over to the table, walking over to take his picture, stuffing it in his back pocket before grabbing Levy's legs again. _'Should have asked about this.'_ He brought his hand to Levy's head, pulling her into his chest as he rushed towards the foyer where he'd been hiding before jumping Kreem. Waiting for the chance when Levy was away from him had been killing him. Just hearing the way he'd spoken to her had him nearly popping a blood vessel. As he rushed out, that awful music became muffled. He scanned the area, his gaze going to the second floor to make sure there wasn't anyone there. If there was, someone would have definitely come running when he fired a shot.

"You're really here…" she mumbled, her eyelids feeling heavy as relief washed over her. After all this time, he was truly here. He was here to save her from this hellish nightmare. She reached up to touch his face, startling him from his focus of getting them out of the house. "Gajeel…" As he moved to grab her hand, he watched her pass out, her body going limp in his arms. He shouted her name, only calming when he realized she'd fainted. Sweeping her up again, he tried the main door, finding it deadbolted closed.

_'Well I did come in through the damn window,'_ he mused, glancing back towards that awful room. A small gasp escaped him as he turned in time to see Kreem in the doorway, one hand clutching where he'd been struck while the other held the pistol Gajeel had taken away.

"Give her back to me," he groaned, holding up the weapon. Gajeel's eyes darted around before ducking into a door behind the staircase. The sharp clicking of the pistol had the blonde screaming in rage, forgetting that the red eyed male had removed the ammo. He brought his hand down to see the blood oozing from his head. "Redfox!"

"Well, that's no good," Gajeel mumbled as he hurried down the corridor. "Please don't be some kinda dead end…" The only other sound echoing off the walls was his heavy boots, the faintest scream from their pursuer fading into the distance. A large door came into view, a wash of relief coming over the dark haired male as he stopped to test the handle. It opened easily, bringing him into what looked like some sort of garage, toolboxes for repairs along with some crates being the only things in the space. The concrete ground showed evidence of there being a vehicle in there at some point, the floor showing faint signs of oil that had dripped from it. He glanced back, looking over Levy's fluffy hair to find no one following before pulling her in and closing the door. As he closed the door with his foot, he looked around before sitting her against the wall, moving to push one of the larger toolboxes against the door. He spotted a wide door on the far side, rushing over and finding it open. Poking his head out, he found it lead to the back of the house. It wasn't close to where he needed but at least it was outside. As he moved back to Levy, he leaned down, grasping at her dress near her knees and shredding the fabric. "Don't need this catching on anything…" Better now than when he got to his bike; he needed to make a quick getaway. A loud clatter near the door he'd come from had him snapping his head to find Kreem trying to bust through.

"Redfox!"

"Time to go," he mumbled, scooping the unconscious girl up. Something incoherent tumbled from her as she was pulled against him, the words lost in the echoing of his footsteps as he hurried out.

\---

**Gajeel has found his cute little bookworm~!**

**Still, wonder what's going to happen with Kreem. Also, Jose is still out there *ponders***

**Looking forward to hearing from you, my lovelies~!**


	13. Time to heal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levy is going to need time to recover

**Hello darlings, hope you are enjoying Date with Destiny.**

**Last we left, Gajeel had found his lovely librarian and rescued her from the clutches of evil and mentally unstable.**

**Thanks to my wonderful man for editing assistance~!**

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Levy awoke to the sound of soft beeping, her eyes fluttering and squinting against all the white of the room. She was in a bed, beside her being medical equipment and trays with food and medicine. An IV was in her right arm, a saline fluid being fed directly into her system. On her left, she spied the only dark thing in the room, a large fluff of black hair. Gajeel sat beside her bed, his head down on the mattress with his gloved hand clutching hers. His brown coat was laid out on his chair. At her faint movement, she felt his hand grip tighter, his head moving slightly. From what she could tell, he was sleeping, his face calm as he rested. Now that she was more alert, she could see the bags under his eyes, his face showing signs of exhaustion. She watched him sleep, his face twitching as he dreamed and every now and then he'd grip her hand as if he thought she would vanish. She wanted nothing more than to run her hand through his hair, to try and ease him as he slumbered but his iron grip on her told her this was better for him. She glanced at the monitors attached to her, watching the steady rhythm of her own heart. She was free. Gajeel had taken her away from that awful place. Without the drugs in her system, she could free every ache and pain Kreem had inflicted on her between keeping her confined to the wheelchair at all times and when he'd lash out to teach her how to be his toy. Her right hand came up to gently touch her throat, being sure the IV didn't move. It still felt a bit sore, Kreem's unexpected grab had startled her. He was definitely stronger than he appeared. Oh, God what if he found them? She turned her gaze to her savior, watching his body rise and fall with each breath he took. She hadn't been conscious enough to see what had happened while she was in the closet but she had definitely heard a gunshot. Did Gajeel kill him? She was surprised in herself at the feeling that she was perfectly fine with that. The amount of lives that he'd taken, it would have been a fitting end for him. However, she didn't want Gajeel to have that kind of burden. To have blood on his hands and possibly run for the rest of his life, she'd never forgive herself. She had to know. Gripping his hand, she moved it around a bit, rousing him from his slumber. His head came up, his red eyes blinking to clear while his left hand came up to rub them. Once he was done with that, he leaned back, stretching before settling his gaze on Levy. A small smile formed on his lips, his half lidded expression making her chuckle at how adorable he looked waking up.

"Hi."

"Hi, how are you feeling?" he asked, rolling his shoulders.

"No matter what, I'm much better now that you're here. Oh, Gajeel, it was horrible," she whispered, feeling tears threatening her. "What happened to him? I heard a gunshot. Please tell me you didn't kill him!" She watched as Gajeel flinched back, a look of shock coming over his face. "I couldn't live with myself if you got in trouble for this." He seemed to relax, understanding why she was so worried now.

"As tempted as I was, I didn't. Was just putting him in his place," he murmured, giving her hand a squeeze. He watched her relax, her body slumping into the pillow behind her. "Are you alright? It must have been terrible for you. Just hearing him in that short time had me wanting to strangle him!" She placed her other hand over their clasped ones, giving a gentle pat to calm him. "It's wrong what he did…"

"Yes, but please don't get so worked up over it." He stared at her blankly.

 _'She might still be on the meds. There is **no way** she should be this calm about this.'_ He watched her a moment, liking his conclusion and figured there was a time for that later. "He hurt you. I don't know if I can stay calm…" He watched her pout, wanting nothing more than to kiss everything away for her, "but I'll try. For you."

"What if he comes back?" Her gaze moved upward as he shook his head, his dark mane fluttering around.

"I have too many pictures for him to even try. He'll get what's coming." Levy merely nodded, the information calming her and making her tired. She let out a yawn, leaning back against the pillow. Gajeel stood, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "You should sleep. You're still hurt and they have you on some medication. I'll take care of everything." He watched her fade, her body finally relaxing. When she seemed to be in a deep sleep, Gajeel moved away from her, towards the windows, bringing his phone to his ear. He braced himself for hysterics as a female voice answered.

"Hello? Gajeel?"

"I found her. We're at the hospital. Normal wing."

"Oh my God, where was she?!"

"Listen, calm down. Just…," he let out a deep sigh, knowing he was going to regret calling her. Levy didn't need such excitement but Cana deserved to know what was going on, "I'm sure she just needs her friends right now. Can you call the girl she works with? That blonde? I'll be here." Before she answered, he clicked the call off, moving to his gallery to look at all the pictures he'd taken. He'd told Levy it was going to be alright but he wasn't familiar with the law all too well. He'd been trespassing when he'd taken these. He didn't know if these were truly worth anything if it came to legal matters. He figured he would wait to show Cana, her father probably having ties to people who could handle this. Thinking about it made his head hurt, his hand coming up to rub his forehead. He looked back at the blue haired female, watching her chest rise and fall as she slumbered. "Don't worry. I'll protect you."

\---

As expected, Cana made a huge scene just trying to muscle her way to see Levy with poor Lucy at her heels. The blonde attempted to calm her as she railed the poor nurses for taking too long. Hearing them from down the hall, Gajeel grumbled as he climbed out of his seat, opening the door and poking his head out. He was greeted with Cana's chest, her low cut dark shirt leaving her cleavage in his face as he'd leaned out, his eyes widening as he jolted back into the room.

"The fuck… why don't ya just push me down, ya crazy broad," he hissed, trying not to yell. "Be quiet." She glared daggers at him, trying to remind herself that he'd found her friend. She moved to sit in his seat, bringing her hand up to Levy's shoulder while giving her a gentle shake. Honey eyes greeted lavender as she woke, her right hand coming up to rub her eyes clean of sleep dust.

"Cana?" As she finished rubbing, her gaze moved at the sight of golden hair, "Lucy. Oh I'm so happy to see you," she said wearily, failing to see her friends frown at her lack of energy. "Where is Gajeel?"

"Right here," he said from the door, closing it against the medical staff who were still upset at Cana's outburst. The brunette practically threw herself on the girl, squishing her friend against her chest as she pat her head. Levy merely giggled at her friend, knowing she was just happy.

"Oh, Levy, we were so worried about you! Are you feeling ok? Are they treating you well here? Please tell me, I can fix it," Cana exclaimed. Lucy gave a nervous chuckle, moving to put a small vase with flowers on the table beside her bed. "Please tell me this guy didn't do anything weird to you. He didn't sexually assault you, did he?"

"What? No! Nothing like that, thank goodness," Levy leaned against the pillows, her hands folded in her lap with her gaze on them. With all the strangeness, she hadn't even thought about something like that. If it had gone on longer, would something like that have occurred? Suddenly, Levy didn't look so good, her face paling at the thought. Gajeel took note, getting Cana's attention and motioning for her to follow him out. Like he'd thought, Levy wasn't ready for such energy. The brunette huffed but followed, giving Lucy a chance to talk to her coworker and friend. Outside the room, Gajeel began messing with his cell, an annoyed Cana glaring at him as she thought he was wasting her time. She was about to snap at him when he pulled his phone up and showed her the corpse.

"We need to get this guy. He had this in one of the rooms in his place," he growled. Wide, lavender eyes stared in shock at the image, her color from her face drained. "This could have been Levy." She shook her head, asking for the phone.

"What the hell is wrong with this guy?" She stared in disbelief, wondering who would do such a thing to a person.

"Not particularly interested. I just want to make sure this bastard doesn't come after her again," he said, his gaze falling on the closed door Levy was in, "Your father know anyone that can make that happen?"

"Send me all the pictures you have, I'll get something done," she said, turning to make a call. Despite how annoying he found her to be, Cana seemed like the type to get things done when needed. He was beginning to find her to be very reliable. He did as she asked, sending the images he took from the empty house and Kreem's mansion. He also mentioned how the police had security tapes from the club from when Levy had been taken. Leaving her to her phone calls, Gajeel opened the door, finding Levy sobbing into Lucy's arms.

"Oi, what's wrong?"

"I-I don't know. S-She was fine a moment ago. She just broke down," Lucy said while patting the poor girl's back in reassurance. At hearing his voice, Levy's head snapped up, her hand reaching out for him. Without even thinking, he was at her side, sitting on the bed and pulling her into a hug. Lucy watched with a small smile as Levy calmed down a little, her breathing becoming easier. She still shook like crazy, her tiny frame lost in his arms. "Seems she needed you…" came the soft whisper. He'd nearly missed it, his red gaze meeting Lucy's brown eyes. She mouthed it again for him, watching his eyes go wide in shock. Once again his thoughts went back to when Cana had first confronted him.

 **"You love her… don't you...?"** He peered down at the fluff of blue hair, feeling a surge of anger at those who hurt her reverberate through his chest. He thought of her laughing at teasing him, her face turning red at anything that he did to get her flustered. He couldn't imagine her doing anything like that with someone else. The very thought made him ill. A soft knock on the door had everyone look up to see a female doctor walk in, introducing herself before explaining she had all of Levy's results from the check up.

"Miss McGarden, do these people need to leave or are you fine with me sharing your results with them?" Her eyes were barely visible as she peeked over Gajeel's arm, giving a very noticeable nod. "Well other than being malnourished and very dehydrated, all your tests came back positive. We had also done a rape kit and that was a negative." Gajeel felt Levy flinch at that, "I have some antibiotics I'd like you to take for just a few days to help your system. I suggest plenty of rest until you feel normal again." She turned to look at the others, "I suggest someone stay with her at all times. Other than that, you are free to go now." Gajeel felt Levy grip his sleeves as if telling him not to move, her head burrowing against him further. "Who will she be staying with?" Before he could even move, Lucy pointed at him, the doctor coming up with a paper. "And you are?"

"Her boyfriend," Lucy replied from the other side of the bed. The blonde stood and walked towards the door, excusing herself and pushing her way out as she had heard Cana getting closer. She pushed the brunette away, motioning for her to stay quiet as she leaned to listen in by pressing her head against the door. Confused on what was happening, Cana blinked a bit before doing the same, leaning against the door.

"She's got no other family?" Gajeel turned his glare from the closed door back to the female doctor, taking the paper she offered.

"No. I suppose that would be me," he replied, looking over what was written. Most of it was scribbles but basically it was when to take meds and a prescription for what she needed.

"Alright, well this is what she needs. I'll call ahead so you don't have to wait for them to fill it. It's important she gets this. Since we don't know what drugs were used on her we want to make sure she's watched over. Should anything change," she took the paper a moment, scribbling something in the bottom corner, "call this number to reach me. I want her observed for any effects." He looked up from the paper to find the doctor smiling warmly at him. He was still not used to being treated as such, his appearance usually inviting strange looks and stares. He gave his thanks, watching her give a slight bow and walk out, the woman nearly plowing into the pair outside the door. They mumbled an apology before slinking into the room themselves. Lucy took this chance to rummage through the bag she brought, fishing out a long sleeved black sweater and black sweats she had gotten from Levy's place. After all the white and pink, she figured the girl could make with some dark clothing. She laid them out on the bed, watching Levy sneak a peek from inside Gajeel's arms.

"Do you need help, Levy?" She watched as she shook her head, reluctantly letting go of the male before her and gently grabbing at the clothes. Her clothes, not some frilly dress that was laid out for her. She didn't have to hurry and keep quiet. Her eyes spied the bruises on her wrists, remembering the feel of Kreem forcing her into the chair. Just the thought had her starting to cry again, all three jumping towards her to find out what was wrong. She shook her head. These were her friends and family, people who cared about her. They didn't want to hurt her or scream at her.

"I'm just so glad I'm free from him," she sobbed out finally, feeling Lucy hug her. Cana sat on the bed in front, reaching for Levy's hand. They sat there a moment, trying to relax the poor girl, hearing her quiet down.

"We're here for you. Whatever you need, ok?" The blue haired female nodded, rubbing her eyes before mumbling she was going to get dressed. The trio walked out with Gajeel turning on the females instantly.

"What were you doing? Shouldn't she stay with one of you?" He crossed his arms, feeling uncomfortable with them. Lucy brought her hands to her hips, tapping her foot at his reluctance.

"Look, I don't know if you noticed but she wants to be with you." Cana looked between them both, clearly having missed something. Lucy gave a shrug, bringing her hand up to point at the door. "She can't be alone and I think she'd feel safest with you, Gajeel. Is that a problem or something," she asked, giving a frown. "If it is, I'm sure myself or Cana can take her. I'm just pointing out what I see." He turned away from them, feeling his face heat up in embarrassment.

"Tch, it's not a problem. Don't make it sound like it is. I just didn't think she'd want to be alone with a man right now." Lucy frowned, crossing her arms over her chest lightly.

"You're not just any man."

"I…" he paused, unsure of what to do. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking at the ground. His body jolted as a thin hand found its way on his shoulder, his head coming up to see Lucy give him a warm smile.

"Take care of her, ok?" His face turned red, he was so not used to this kind of treatment. Lucy let out a small laugh at his shyness, patting his shoulder before moving towards the door of Levy's room. "Well I'm gonna say bye." She walked in without waiting for any sort of reply, leaving a flustered Gajeel with Cana. As the blonde walked in, his eyes darted over, a scowl crossing his face.

"What," he snapped. She gave him a wicked grin, her hand on her hip.

"Nothing…" Inside the room, Lucy found Levy finished and standing by the window, her expression spaced out as she stared at the world outside. As she got closer, the blue haired girl jumped, her hand clapping over her chest, her eyes wide.

"Sorry," Lucy exclaimed, holding her hands up, "you looked lost in thought." Without a word, Levy turned back to the window, her silence making the blonde frown. She linked her arm with hers, pulling her closer, "Are you ok? What are you thinking about?" There was a long pause, making Lucy feel that perhaps she wasn't ready to talk. She pulled her into a hug, feeling Levy relax.

"I don't want to be here anymore…"

"Ok, well we should be ok to leave. Gajeel got everything from the doctor so…" Lucy pulled Levy to the end of the bed, tugging at the bag she'd packed for her, "I got you some stuff from your place and I told Mr. Makarov what was going on. You don't have to worry about anything. Just focus on getting better, alright?" Levy nodded, her expression still dazed as though she was not there. Seeing her friend like that had Lucy frowning, wishing there was more she could do. Outside the room, Gajeel was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, his body feeling the lack of sleep catching up to him. Cana watched him a moment before reaching up and tapping his arm. Red eyes snapped open, moving to meet her lavender ones.

"So listen, I haven't gotten the chance to properly say thank you," she stared at the ground, her gaze seemingly far off as if in thought, "I know you put a lot of effort and time into this and I know you and I have never really seen eye to eye." She peered up at him, her eyes glossy from unshed tears. Suddenly she lunged forward, hugging him, "but I want you to know it means a lot that you did this. Thank you, Gajeel." Not expecting any sort of contact, she felt his whole body freeze, a strangled cry escaping him as he tried to pry her away.

"N-no need to thank me." She pulled away from him, grabbing a tissue from her purse. He watched quietly as she blew her nose and settled down.

"No. Say what you will. You risked a lot. It won't be ignored." She finally finished clearing her face of tears, stuffing the tissue into her bag, "I'm going to say bye to Levy. I leave her in your hands."

"I still don't-" he froze as Cana put a hand in his face, stopping him. She moved to the door, throwing a gentle smile his way.

"You'll be fine." With that, she walked in, leaving him alone with his thoughts. "Ooh, Levy, come here. I'm just so happy you're alright now," she exclaimed, squeezing the blue haired girl before she had a chance to react. "Listen, if you need anything, you know how to reach us, ok?" As she pulled back, she noticed Levy's very tired appearance. Figuring she just could have merely been sleepy, Cana bid her farewell and left with Lucy in tow. Both women gave him a look before walking down the hall to the hospital exit. Cautiously, Gajeel knocked and entered, finding Levy staring at the bag Lucy had left her, her fingers playing with a random shirt that was peeking out of it.

"Levy?" He closed the door behind himself, walking up slowly towards her. As he got in range, she spun and grabbed him, burying her face into his chest. "O-Oi…" At hearing her sniffle, he wrapped his arms around her, letting her use him for comfort. While she calmed down, he leaned forward, burying his nose in her hair and breathing deep. Flowers. He rubbed her back, waiting for her to stop shaking. "Whenever you're ready, we'll leave." At hearing that, she pulled back, making sure all her belongings were in her bag, clearly not wanting to be there anymore. He moved to grab his coat, glancing at the door before pulling his handgun out and putting it in his holster, swishing his waistcoat over his shoulders and on, covering the weapon fast. A sharp knock on the door had them both freezing, a man's voice calling out to them.

"Ms. McGarden, may we come in? This is the police, we just want to ask you some questions." The blue haired female glanced over at Gajeel, his expression seeming nervous as he made sure his coat was covering his firearm. She was so tired, she just wanted to leave. However, the thought of Kreem getting what he deserved steeled her mind as she walked over and opened the door. A short, brunette male greeted her, a taller man with black hair and blue eyes at his side. "Evening, ma'am. I'm Inspector Mitch Wagner from the Clover Police Department. This is my partner, Jack Riverside." The black haired man gave a small bow at the mention of his name. The inspector glanced into the room to spy Gajeel before looking back at Levy. "Might we come in?" Without a word, she took a step back, allowing the men access to the room before closing the door. She moved to push her bangs out of her face as she sat down on the bed, waiting for them to speak. The policemen glanced back at the black haired male on the other side of the room, clearly finding him to be intimidating. "Might we ask who you are, sir?" The bouncer watched them a moment before walking over to the other side of the bed next to Levy. As he got near, she grasped out for his hand, pulling him closer. His head snapped in her direction, a look of worry crossing his features.

"Levy?" She pulled him to sit beside her, curling up next to him as he finally complied. Seeing her react to him this way had the policemen calming, their shoulders unclenching and body slacking in relief. "I'm Gajeel Redfox," he finally replied, noticing the taller man writing down something on his notepad. He didn't feel comfortable talking to these guys given his circumstance for finding Levy. Between that and his gun, he was feeling very nervous about talking to these two. Especially with how quiet Levy was being.

"I see. So you are the one who found Ms. McGarden then? We read it on the report we were given." Gajeel eyed the policemen a moment, trying to size up the situation. He wasn't getting a very good feeling from it. By all accounts, he'd broken into Kreem's home, an offense that could be as much as a misdemeanor or as bad as a felony. Given he'd fired at the bastard, the bouncer feared the worst. The son of bitch deserved it and it made Gajeel feel better. Besides, it wasn't like he'd hit him.

"I did," he answered slowly, curling his arm around Levy. His brow came down as anger surged through him, feeling they were looking in the wrong place, "Why aren't you talking to that rich creep? This is all his fault anyway." The inspector let out a harsh cough into his hand, obviously nervous about his answer.

"Unfortunately, at this time. He is refusing anything until his lawyers are present. If it makes you feel more at ease, we do have him at the station at this current time until said party has arrived. Given all the items brought up as evidence, we had grounds on holding him. However, he will most definitely make bail before the end of the evening." Gajeel exploded off the bed, nearly knocking Levy over in his rage. She steadied herself, pulling her legs up.

"Are you serious? That guy had her held against her will and he's getting the chance to buy his way out!?" Jack began holding his hands up in attempt to calm the man, his body reflexively jerking back when Gajeel's fiery gaze landed on him.

"Mr. Redfox, please -"

"No! She doesn't deserve that!" The bouncer nearly grabbed the inspector's shirt but stopped and turned away from them, letting out a frustrated roar. Both men jumped in alarm, watching Levy reach out to calm him. "I can't believe that-" the rest of his words caught in his throat as he felt two thin arms circle his waist, feeling her lithe body against his back.

"Please calm down, Gajeel…" she whispered, her voice sounding as though she were holding tears back. His body relaxed against her, a deep sigh escaping him as he turned in her arms to hug her back before seating them down on the bed again. Inspector Wagner took the chance to move closer, offering the pair a smile.

"We only wish for your insight on the events of your kidnapping to compile evidence against him. Are you comfortable with answering anything? Telling us what happened?" he flinched as tears started pouring from Levy's eyes, her expression showing great distress.

"I will never feel comfortable talking about what happened…," she spat, "I was taken against my will and held in a dark room until I was delivered to Kreem's place. Where he treated me like I was just another toy to be played with!" Levy's voice increased in volume the more she spoke, her body shaking violently. Gajeel held her tight as she sobbed into his chest, his hand coming over her fluffy hair as he patted her. At the inspector's side, Jack motioned through his notebook before using his pen to tap on Mitch's arm, motioning towards what was written there. A quick glance had the inspector turning back, his focus now on the bouncer.

"We've been given information that you broke into the estate. Also that you fired a weapon at the suspect. Is this true?" He watched as Gajeel stiffened, refusing to make eye contact with the man.

"It was in self defense…" came her small voice from his arms, her brown eyes peering over Gajeel's forearm. She came out of his embrace a bit more, her eyes wide in fear, "Please don't take him away. He did it for me! I would still be there if not for him!" She knelt beside him on the bed, wrapping her arms around his neck and smothering him against her chest. Even though he was fuming about the situation, Gajeel couldn't help himself as he blushed while being pressed against her breasts.

"Ms. McGarden, please… it would be best if you calmed down," Mitch murmured, hearing Jack writing something down beside him. The sound of Jack's pencil scribbles was the only sound for a moment, a thick tension in the air following Levy's outburst. Gajeel, however, could hear Levy's heart hammering in her chest. He frowned at how panicked the poor girl was, the different bouts of excitement clearly not being good for her. Mitch took a deep breath, moving his brown bangs from his eyes, taking a step forward. "Mr. Redfox." Pulling back from the girl, Gajeel told her not to worry before standing in front of the inspector, the officer having to tilt his head back quite a bit to look at him. "I'm going to have to at least ask for your firearm." A studded brow creased in frustration before he pulled his coat back and removed his M911, making sure the safety was on before handing it to him handle first. He watched as he took it with a cloth covered hand, recognizing it as not wanting to smudge fingerprints. The ruby eyed male really hoped this didn't come back on him. Bagging it and handing it to Jack, Mitch turned back towards Gajeel, procuring a business card. "Don't leave town. This is my number for anything else since Ms. McGarden isn't up for this right now." Gajeel took the card, flipping it over in his palm before eyeing the smaller man before him. "If I could have your ID for your information, please."

"Just so we're clear, I have a permit for that handgun and if I'm getting in trouble for something just tell me now," Gajeel grumbled, glaring daggers at the man. He pulled his wallet out as he spoke, pulling his license out to hand over. Behind him, Levy tensed at hearing him, her face red from crying.

"I'm sure everything will be fine. You just need to calm down, Mr. Redfox." Mitch handed the card to his partner, hearing the pencil scribbles starting up once again. "So perhaps I could ask you what happened than. You seem more ok." He watched the bouncer take a deep breath as though to steady himself.

"I'm not sure I wanna be talkin' to you right now. You might twist something to get me in trouble. Just know I found her and took her away before Kreem turned her into another corpse in his house." Out of the corner of his eye, Mitch could see Levy shiver and pull at the blanket on the hospital bed, hiding her face as another sob tried escaping her. "You should be focusing on that psycho rather than us. I have to take her home and make sure she gets her medicine. Thanks to that creep, she needs meds to get better." Jack took a step forward, handing Gajeel back his card. "Can we go now please?" Jack nudged his partner, giving him a skeptical look.

"Yes, Mr. Redfox, you may go. Remember, don't leave town," Mitch said.

"Wasn't planning on it," came the mumbled reply. Gajeel turned on his heel, leaning down to grab Levy's bag, pulling it over his shoulder before scooping the shivering girl into his arms. "Have a good one," he grumbled as he walked out, barely giving them a chance to answer. He needed to get away. He was too pissed that they were bothering with them rather than just locking Kreem's skinny ass up. He should have seen this coming, knowing Kreem had a lot of money. "Fucking rich people…"

\---

The ride home was relatively quiet, even with their brief stop to pick up her meds. Now they were in front of Gajeel's condo with him holding the door open for her as she silently walked in, giving him a slight nod of thanks. He frowned at how quiet and calm she'd been, seeming as if the life was drained from her. As they entered the place, Levy's eyes surveyed the area, noticing he had little furnishings or personal effects. He seemed to notice her looking around, rubbing the back of his neck, "It's not much, but it's home. Lily isn't here. I left 'im with Juvia. I didn't know how long I was going to be out for while I was… you know… looking for ya." He watched her nod slowly. He brought his arm around her shoulders, guiding her away from the door and further into the living room. "Listen," he started, placing her bag next to the couch, "my room is down this hall. Why don't you take a shower? I'll get us something to eat. We can give you your meds with that so it doesn't upset your stomach. You haven't eaten much." He bit his lip at how unresponsive she was, moving to sit on the couch while dragging her with him. She gasped at being pulling down, feeling him hold her against him. "If you need to talk, I'm here. If not, I'm here all the same." He felt her curl into him, her head burying into his chest. They stayed there a few minutes with Levy occasionally sniffling. She finally pulled back, standing and grabbing her bag. "Down this hall. You going to be ok?" He watched her nod, still unhappy about her being mute. "Ok, take your time. I'll come check on you in a bit though. Make sure you're alright." Once she disappeared into his room, he made a face at knowing he most likely had nothing in his pantries. Removing his boots, he placed them by the door, stretching as he walked to the kitchen. A quick inspection of the cabinets and fridge proved he was right, his eyes glancing at the to-go menus he had pinned to the fridge door. Scrubbing his face with his hands, he grabbed his phone, plucking the menu for Chinese food from the door and then moving towards his counter to look it over. He went with a few things such as chicken with broccoli, boneless spare ribs, some egg rolls, and wonton soup figuring the more choices, the better. After ending the call, he listened in for the sound of the shower, the faint patter of running water traveling down the hallway. Part of him wanted to check on her but he wanted to make sure she had her space. While leaning forward against the counter, his eyes landed on his thigh, growling that his weapon has been taken from him. He leaned back, stretching a bit as he walked towards his room. He gave a gentle knock before entering in case she was still in the bedroom, not trusting only hearing the water to assume she was in there. He found the security box where he'd left it, popping it open and putting the holster away at the very least. The faint sound of crying had him coming up to the bathroom door, his hand lingering on the knob. "Levy? You ok, shrimp?" He knocked lightly while opening the door, being greeted with the smog of steam that instantly escaped. The heat of the room made it hard to breathe, his hand coming up to swish some of the steam away from his face. "Levy?" He heard her hiccup, a shuddered gasp sounding as she was clearly trying to hold back her sobbing. He grabbed a dark blue towel, setting it on the sink for her when he saw her silhouette shaking. _'This heat, it's unbearable. There is no way-'_ He froze, grabbing the curtain and yanking it back which caused her to jump and reflexively cover herself. "What are you doing?!" Her skin was red, especially around her wrists from hard scrubbing. He lunged forward, turning the temperature down and yelping at how hot it was. Her entire frame was shaking, almost to the point where he thought she was going to collapse. He watched as she clutched her head, now ignoring that she was naked before him as she looked at him with wide eyes.

"I can still feel him touching me. Forcing me to dance, tying me to that horrible chair!" She began yanking at her strands, "playing with my hair! He was treating me like an object!" He grabbed the towel, pulling at her arm and wrapping her up. Pulling her out of the tub, he held her against himself, not caring about the water soaking into his clothing as he rubbed her back gently as she sobbed into his chest. Leaning over a bit, he turned the water fully off before scooping her up and going into his room, resting her on the edge of the bed. "Why…? Why are people so…"

"Insane?" he replied, leaning over her. "Cuz they just are. That's **not** your fault," he said, resting his forehead against hers. He knew this was a bad idea. The last thing she needed was to be alone with a male. He let out a small sigh, gently grabbing her left arm to examine her, brushing his fingers against her skin. "You shouldn't be doing this," he murmured. He noticed that she quieted down, her eyes watching his hands. Figuring she was being reminded of bad things, he dropped her arm, taking a step back.

"No…" she reached out towards him, her voice weak. "Please… do that again…" His head snapped up, a studded brow arching upwards.

"What?" In a daze, she stood, the towel slipping and causing him to reflexively catch it to help cover her. As he did she grabbed his hand as it held it at her chest, her eyes still focused on him. She pulled his hand away from the towel, bringing it up to her face, making him cup her cheek. A sigh escaped her, her body relaxing.

"You have such manly hands. They're calloused from playing your guitar," she murmured, "I love your touch…" Gajeel thought back to Kreem and his small frame, his thin hands. Refocusing on Levy, he brought his other hand up to fully hold her face, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. As he pulled away he watched her look at him with half lidded eyes, her expression finally calming. "Don't stop…" Wide red eyes peered down to find her staring at him with such want, her eyes puffy from crying. He leaned forward, kissing each eyelid, watching her calm down even further. Water from her hair dripped into his face, tickling him. Levy brought her hands up, grasping gently at his wrists as he pulled back. The red was fading from her, her ivory skin looking better as the cool air hit it. However, her wrists still looked painfully raw, her efforts in scrubbing them irritating the skin harshly. Gajeel frowned at the sight, his eyes finding her looking at him with a dazed expression still. "Gajeel?"

"Y-yes?" He gulped slightly, unsure if she was aware of what she was doing and what effect it was having on him. He felt his heart thumping hard, his breathing becoming shallow as she closed her eyes and leaned forward a bit. A sharp knock on the main door had them both jumping with Gajeel taking his hands back. He coughed a bit, running a hand through his hair. The water helped slick his bangs back on the right side, the left fluttering back in his eyes.

"Ah," he bit his lip, "that must be the food. Why don't you get dressed and meet me in the living room, ok?" He watched her blink a lot, as though waking from a trance. "Levy?" She nodded, once again becoming the mute female that had entered his place. As he moved towards the door, he pulled at his shirt, the water giving him a chill as air hit him. Another knock and he leaned forward, "Yes?"

"Order for Redfox. Chinese food," called the man. Gajeel fished his wallet out as he opened the door, greeting the delivery guy as he pulled out the required payment.

"Keep the change. Have a good one," he said as he received the large bag. The man did a quick count before bowing and bidding him goodnight, either not noticing or ignoring that Gajeel's shirt was drenched. Moving the food to the kitchen counter, Gajeel glanced down the hall towards his room, bringing his hand to his chest to feel his heart slowing back to normal. Glancing down at his shirt, he unbuttoned it, peeling it off and using it to finish drying his skin. A slight movement to his left had him snapping his head in the direction to find Levy leaning against the doorway, her face partially hidden behind the frame. She was wearing a dark yellow, long sleeved shirt and black baggy pants, her feet still bare. "Oh, there you are… Um, got something to eat. I hope you'll help me with it." Her eyes glanced at the bag before going back to him. He frowned at how quiet she was again, the sight of her wrist as it helped hide her face bothering him. He tossed the shirt on the kitchen table, offering his hand towards her. She glanced at it a moment before slowly taking it, coming out from her hiding spot. A small gasp escaped her as he pulled her against himself, burying his nose in her partially wet hair. "You can talk to me, you know." A few minutes went by in complete silence, earning a sigh from him as he pulled back.

"I'm afraid to talk about it…"

"You don't have to be," he replied, watching her shake. She tugged at her sleeves, covering the damage she did to herself.

"I can still feel him touching me… I still see the mask the other man had on when he would check on me... " she began crying as she spoke, trying her hardest not to break down, "I…" she froze, looking up at Gajeel with wide eyes brimming with fear. "No…" She leaned forward, grabbing his forearms. Her whole body shook violently, tears beginning to stream down her face, "Gajeel, he- he has someone coming for you! He hired someone to kill you!" He went wide eyed, shaking his head while trying to calm her down, "No, listen! He wanted me to behave and he said that you were sticking your nose where it didn't belong so he got this creepy man to take the job!" He grabbed her arms, holding her still.

"Calm down!" The amount of hysteria she had in such a short time had him worried about her popping a blood vessel. To go from such calm to a crazed panic like that. _'But wait… could this be the weirdo I saw at that house, the one who was at the club?'_ He bit his lip in thought, pulling his phone from his pocket. He glanced towards Levy, seeing her stare at him while waiting for a response. "Ok, listen…" he grabbed the bag of food while he spoke, "let's get you something to eat first. You need your meds." She was about to say something when he cut her off, a finger finding it's way on her lips, "Don't argue with me please. Let me take care of you." She made a face but stayed quiet, watching him get a dish and silverware for her. "I'll be right back." He set everything on the table, watching her merely stand beside him until he forced her to take a seat. "I'm just making a call. I'll be right here." She pouted, twirling the fork he gave her in her hand a bit. He moved to walk away, glancing over his shoulder at her just sitting there with her eyes distant. He leaned down, his hair spilling onto the table as he got in her face, "Please? For me?" He watched her eyes refocus, heavy blinking bringing her back to reality as she grabbed the edge of the bag in front of her. As he walked away, Levy dug into the contents, finding she figured the soup was best. Popping the lid, she decided to eat directly from the container, not having a bowl and not knowing his place all that well. She felt so drained, her life having been uprooted and taken over by this whole mess. She wanted to be happy she was back and safe but the nagging in the back of her skull was killing her. Between the residual effects Kreem had on her and the job that the hitman was given, she was feeling ill. Now that she recalled the man, Jose, she felt a twist in her gut. Just because she was free didn't mean this man would stop his assignment. Kreem had already had a picture of Gajeel, meaning he was being followed. Did he know where Gajeel lived? Was he on his way there right now? She put the fork down, pushing the soup away slightly. She wanted to make the red eyed male happy but she would just be lying to him and herself that she was ok. The emotional scars seemed to be doing the most damage, leaving her feeling naked and exposed. A slight tug at her sleeve had her staring at her irritated wrists, the red not fading in the slightest. Would she ever feel better? Was she always going to feel those straps on her? Holding her down? She thought back to when Gajeel was touching her, how everything felt so different.

"I want him to hold me…" she whispered to herself. As if on cue, his voice drifted down the hall, signs that he was ending his call as he walked up. She frowned, knowing he would be upset that she'd not really touched anything. Her honey eyes turned towards him as he showed, watching him finish the buttons on a new shirt, the red looking good against his olive skin. She could see the slightest slip of a white muscle shirt underneath. She saw him frown at her before turning slightly to finish his call, clicking the cell off before placing it on the counter.

"Ya feeling ok?"

"Not really," she murmured, watching him intently. He let out a sigh, pulling a chair up to sit beside her. As he sat down, he took her hand, rubbing it a bit while glancing at the food on the table.

"Didn't like anything? I tried getting different stuff," he said.

"No it's fine. I'm just… lot of things in my head…"

"Like what?"

"What if that man is coming here? Kreem hired him to kill you! I heard it! He _wanted_ me to hear it!"

"Calm down, Levy. Please." She blinked, realizing she was starting to come out of the chair and into his face. "I was just talking to Lyon and he said that the guy showed up again. Seems to me he doesn't know where I live and is trying to find me at work. Lyon's gonna get the police if he shows again." Levy settled back into her chair, a weight lifting from her shoulders at hearing that. So he didn't have as much info as she thought. That was good. "Which also means you are staying here with me until he is caught. No doubt they know where you live. In fact," he stood and grabbed his phone "what is your landlord's number? We should warn him too."

"I can call him… oh…" she trailed off, not even remembering the last time she'd had her phone. Oh right, at the club when she was grabbed. She was so lost in thought, she didn't notice Gajeel had walked away until her phone was in her face. "You… you found it?" He put her purse on the table before sitting back down beside her, watching her leaf through it like it was an ancient artifact. Upon unlocking it, she was greeted at too many messages from Lucy and Cana with the occasional from Makarov about where she was. The first ones were from Gajeel, a number of missed calls and some text messages.

[Sorry I wasn't at the table. Did you go home? I hope you're ok.] Her vision blurred as tears welled up, spilling as she lunged forward to hug him. He jumped at the sudden attack, hugging her tight.

"I was so scared," she said, her voice muffled in his chest, "I thought I was never going to see you again!" He patted her head, feeling her begin to calm down.

"Shhh, it's ok now." She nodded, pulling back and rubbing her eyes. As she finished sniffling, she watched his foot tap constantly, as if nervous about something. "I don't mean to press you, but you really need to eat. You need to take these," he said, procuring a bottle from a paper bag. He pulled out the boneless spare ribs, popping the container open and taking a whiff. "Besides, you know that smells good!" He gave her a grin, earning a laugh from her. Watching his face light up at her giggling, Levy felt a slight weight lift from her, her heart feeling more at ease as she observed him grabbing a fork and digging in. This man had saved her. Rescued her from the torment of her captors and taken her home. She shifted in her seat, grabbing the fork she'd abandoned, resuming her attack on the wonton soup. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him smile before continuing to eat, clearly as famished as she was. They ate in relative silence, polishing off the two things they started before eating only part of the chicken with broccoli. Levy took her meds, gulping down water to swallow the pills. Gajeel fished out the fortune cookies, giving one to Levy before breaking his apart and looking at the paper. His brows came down as he read what it said, earning a concerned look from the blue haired female.

"What's it say? Mine says: 'Never give up'. Very eventful," she murmured, playing with the small slip of paper. When he didn't reply, she tapped his arm, causing him to jolt. "Gajeel?" His hair fluttered as he shook his head, his eyes focusing on her finally.

"Huh?" She pointed at his fortune, now insanely curious. "This? Says: 'Never smell the inside of a hat'." He watched her jerk back, her eyebrow arching up in disbelief before leaning forward to try and snag it from him.

"What? You're lying," she mumbled, failing to reach it. He crumpled it, leaning into her face.

"You just call me a liar? I think some punishment is in order, gihee," he teased, watching her go wide eyed. A chuckle escaped him as she blushed deeply, pulling back into her seat while crossing her arms over her chest.

"Y-you wouldn't."

"Sure you wanna bet against that?" The evidence of a small smile was showing at the corners of her mouth, signaling that Gajeel had a chance at making her feel better. He held up his hand, showing three fingers, "giving you to the count of three," he drawled, watching her jump up in alarm.

"What?"

"One…"

"Gajeel…" she whined, giving him a pout.

"Two… not gonna save you." At that, she jumped up and raced into his room, closing the door behind her. He took this chance to throw his fortune away in the bag, the paper unfolding to show _'Be wary of the future.'_ He quietly padded over, leaning against the door to listen for her. It was slight, but he could hear her breathing hard, the excitement getting her more than anything. "Three!" After about thirty seconds, he tried the knob, surprised to find it unlocked and without resistance as he opened it, not finding her in sight. "Gihee, did I mention I love to hunt?" he called out, knowing he'd get no answer. He listened for her breathing, leaning towards the bathroom and poking his head in. Nothing. Her smell was everywhere, making it hard to figure out where she was. A small growl escaped him as he got down on his hands and knees, pulling the blanket back to find nothing under his bed. A feral grin crossed his face at the only place left: his closet. He sauntered over, yanking the door back and only seeing his jackets and trenchcoats. He tilted his head as he pulled them back from the left side, finding her in the corner. "Ah my pretty prey," he said with a chuckle. Taking a step back, he motioned for her to come out. Once she was fully free, he grabbed her around the waist, throwing her on the bed and earning a sharp squeak from her. As she bounced, he climbed on with her, pulling her against him as they laid down on their right side with her facing away from him.

"What's my punishment," she asked, turning her head slightly over her shoulder to see him. She could barely see his head, his broad shoulders in her field of vision.

"Sleeping next to me," he whispered, his eyes already closed as he held her. She could hear him inhale deeply, taking in her scent. She wiggled a bit, getting comfy.

"Doesn't sound bad to me," she replied just as softly, enjoying the feel of his arms around her. This was what she'd wanted, to feel him. It helped her in feeling this was real, that she wasn't still trapped in that hollow mansion.

"Good. Wasn't going to move unless you said so."

"Why if I said so?" He didn't answer for a minute, making her turn her head towards him again.

"Didn't want you to feel… trapped…" he finally said, feeling he couldn't word it any better than that. A small smile crossed her face as she pulled his sleeve back and trailed her nails across his arm, tracing around the studs and giving him a shiver.

"Don't ever let me go," she mumbled, snuggling and closing her eyes.

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**Levy is so lucky to have him with her ^ ^**

**Looking forward to feedback, I adore hearing from you guys ~! Stay tuned for more :D**

**Be sure to check my Deviant Art page (check Bio) for an image for this chapter**

**By the way, the fortune Gajeel lied about is one I REALLY got**


	14. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The healing process continues

**Well, I would was hoping for more feedback, especially with everyone shouting at me for poor Levy. Get ready for the fluff before the lemon xD**

**Reviews fuel faster uploads :D**

**Image for chapter 13 on Deviant ART (check my bio)**

**Thanks for helping with the edits, my sexy man!**

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Levy lifted her head, her vision clearing with heavy blinking as beige colors came into view, the sight of lace making her stomach clench. She peered down to see her wrists bound, her body instantly trying to break free.

"Morning, lovely," echoed a voice, her head darting in all directions. Suddenly the room darkened, the sight of that pale mask showing through the darkness.

"Don't worry, dear…" came another echo. Her head darted all around, numerous visions of the mask appearing all over, "I just can't risk you getting away…" She tugged at her restraints, her mind in a panic now as she breathed heavily, sweat forming and having her bangs stick to her face. An eerie pale face showed from the shadows, most of it covered in darkness but with his crazed look and wide smile she knew it was none other than Jose.

"I shall enjoy making him suffer."

"No!" Levy bolted upright from her slumber, her body covered in as cold sweat, her eyes wide as she gasped for breath. Beside her, Gajeel jumped up as well, his hair in disarray and in his face as he reached for her blindly, grabbing her arm and startling her further. Another scream erupted from her, causing him to flinch back and push his bangs aside to see.

"Levy, what's wrong!? Are you ok?" He watched as she clutched at her chest, her body heaving with trying to take in air as though it was all that was left in the world. He leaned up, pulling his red button down off and tossing it on the chair that was nearby before watching her finally calm. "Oi…" He watched her turn her head, her wide eyed expression making him frown. "You ok?" He let out a strangled noise as she dove into his arms, grasping him tightly around his torso. Still not sure what was wrong, he patted her back with one hand while the other played with her hair. After hearing her begin to breathe normally he lifted her head, his fingers lingering on her chin, "what's wrong?"

"It was horrible," she finally croaked out, her voice rasping from her throat being dry, "I was back in that horrible place. And Jose was taunting me that he was going to hurt you!"

"Shhh, it's ok. He's not here. We're safe," he whispered, rubbing small circles into her back. He felt her slouch against him, as though sleep was winning its battle once again. He wished he could take it all away from her, that he could stop the memories and visions. He sat up fully, feeling her curl into him between his legs.

"I don't want anything to happen to you… I'd never forgive myself."

"It wouldn't be your fault," he murmured softly, moving her hair from her eyes gently. She leaned up on her knees and into his face, her eyes wide with fear and regret.

"I'm the reason this happened!"

"No!" he roared, watching her flinch. "This is his fault. Don't you think for a _second_ this is because of you." Her face scrunched as she tried holding back tears, feeling him circle his arms around her waist. Leaning his head against her chest, he felt her finally relax. "Don't worry about it. I'll take care of you," he whispered, listening to her heart rate slow down to normal.

"Ok…" she whispered back. Hearing him say that made her feel at ease, her body slumping against him. "I don't know what I'd do…"

"Shhh, go back to sleep. I'm right here," he said pulling back.

"Every time I close my eyes, I'm back there… I wish I wasn't so tired…" she murmured. He pulled her down to lay next to him again, kissing her forehead. "You sure he won't find you?"

"Positive. Now get some sleep, shrimp." She smiled at him calling her that again, feeling a little bit like things were back to the way they were. In her heart, though, she knew things could never be the same. How long before she stopped having these nightmares? Before she felt she could walk anywhere and not feel like someone was there to take her away again? The men who had done this to her took away her life, making her shiver in fear at the thought of being alone. She curled into Gajeel's arms, taking in a deep breath before finally falling back into slumber.

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Levy stirred, the smell of breakfast filling her nostrils as she stretched her arms above her head, her hands hitting the headboard lightly. The other side was empty, causing her to bolt up to search for her savior. Figuring he must have been in the kitchen, she threw her legs over the side of the bed, hopping down due to how high the frame was in comparison to her. When standing next to it, the mattress ended at her navel, making her wonder how she could ever climb back into it herself. Gajeel had assisted her last night. As she moved towards the door, she passed the dresser, catching her reflection and pouting at how messy her hair was. She wished she had a headband, hoping Lucy packed one for her in her bag. She tugged at her shirt, the poor thing wrinkled like crazy from her sleep. As she moved to leave, her eye caught sight of Gajeel's red button down, a smile crossing her face as she removed her shirt to put his on. A blush crept across her cheeks at feeling exposed, her lack of bra making it feel as though she were wearing nothing as she draped the big shirt over herself and did the buttons up from her chest to her waist. It reached her mid thigh, seeming almost like it could have been a tiny dress for her. Content with the amount of coverage, she moved to the hall, tiptoeing through and hearing him on what seemed like a phone call.

"- you have to be kidding me… what about..? Seriously!?" She frowned at how upset he'd sounded, curious as to who he was talking to. "No, she's still sleeping. No, I'm not waking her up." There was a pause, as though whoever it was had a lot to say, "Listen, you can talk to her later. She's exhausted and it was hard enough getting her to sleep… Nightmares, you honestly think she wouldn't have them?" She leaned against the wall, tempted to poke her head around to look at him, to see what his expression was like. It was hard to tell by his tone but it was either he was fed up with everything or just with the person he was speaking to. Given everything, she hoped it was the person, "I don't need you to tell me that! God, you are impossible sometimes! I don't know how she puts up with you!"

_'That just **has** to be Cana,'_ she thought, feeling better about the whole situation. She didn't think she was ready to talk to the brunette yet, knowing she would be mentally drained after speaking to her. Cana was her buddy but insatiable when it came to prying for info or assuring her things were ok. Even now, she felt sorry that the red eyed male had to talk to her.

"Look, when she wakes up, I'll have her call. Easy, right?" Another pause, "Woman, you are trying my patience. You didn't even answer my question…" Levy tilted her head, curious as to what he was talking to her about other than herself. "You know what? I don't need to know." She heard the cell phone clatter on the countertop, a frustrated growl escaping him. Biting her lip, she wondered if she should go back to his room and leave him be for a little. She was all too familiar with how exhausting it was to to talk to the brunette. However, the smell of food won as her stomach grumbled, her hand coming up to cover it as though it would stop it. Taking a breath, she rounded the corner, finding him leaning forward against the counter.

"Morning," she whispered, watching him push off the ledge and whirl in her direction. His hair was disheveled from sleep, his bangs in his eyes and random strands sticking up. He was still wearing the white muscle shirt from last night only he was wearing cloth black slacks instead of the jeans.

"Ah I didn't wake you up, did I?" He watched as she shook her head before focusing on her attire. "Well... that shirt looks familiar," he said, a grin crossing his features. She pulled her hands up to her face, hiding behind the large sleeves. "What made you put that on?" He could see from how her eyes sparkled that she was smiling, a tinge of red spreading across her cheeks.

"It's yours. I like it," she murmured, watching him walk up to her. A gasp escaped her as he grabbed her arm, pulling the sleeve down to view her wrists. They were still looking raw and red, making him frown. "I… I didn't mean… I just…" He gestured for her to hush, walking away and disappearing into the bathroom. He came back with a bottle reading 'Aloe' on it and motioned for her to follow him, finding herself sitting on the couch beside him. She observed with fascination as he applied some of the cream to his hand before pulling the sleeve away and gently caressing it around her wrists. A small hiss escaped her as the lotion did its magic, hydrating and healing the tender flesh. She sat quietly as he worked her skin, enjoying the touches and impressed with how gentle he could be. "Sorry…"

"Just don't do anything like that again please," he murmured without looking at her. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her nod, her fluffy hair fluttering around as she moved.

"So what were you talking to Cana about?" She looked up in time to see him scowl as he kept working on her skin, his lips in a thin line as if he were holding back on what he really wanted to say. "That bad, huh?" He glanced up, his red eyes partially hidden by his messy bangs. Finishing with one wrist, he moved to the next one, applying more aloe to his hands. She closed her eyes, feeling his large hands massage her. The world seemed like it went quiet, her senses enjoying the little motions of his fingers working the lotion in.

"So you hungry at all?" Her eyes snapped open, seeing him still looking at his work. "I have eggs." He scoffed a bit, finishing and moving to stand up to put the lotion away. "I really need to get food in this place. Not good that everything is bare." She lightly touched where he'd put the aloe on, marveling at how much better it felt.

"Why do I smell something now?"

"Ah I was trying to make some and I got so wrapped up with talking to Her Highness I messed them up," he said while returning to the kitchen. Levy brought a hand up to cover her mouth, stifling a laugh.

"Her Highness?"

"You know who I'm talkin' about. Don't get cute." He began rubbing his hands together, seemingly determined to not talk about the brunette, "now… how about those eggs, gihee!" He pulled open the fridge, grabbing the carton and checking to make sure he had enough left before snagging cheese from the drawer. "Scrambled eggs with cheese coming up. You stay right there." Levy leaned back into the couch, caressing her wrists while watching him move around. She wasn't used to anything like this. Having lived alone ever since she'd left the orphanage, she was used to taking care of herself. Going to work, coming home to either take out or cooking for only her and being alone at night with only her books to keep her company. At times she would hang with Lucy or Cana and she would take time to talk to Mr. Makarov but this was something new. Here was this charming man before her, making her breakfast. She pulled her legs up under herself as she leaned a bit to the side, watching him. As if sensing her eyes on him, he peeked over his shoulder, flashing her a toothy smile. Before she knew it, he appeared in front of her with a plate of eggs and toast, smiling down at her as she blinked at it in interest.

"Oh! Thank you," she said as she took the dish and fork from him. As she moved to dig in, she felt the couch depress from his weight as he sat beside her. Her gaze raked over him, seeing him with only a beverage in his hand. "What about you?"

"I'm fine. Eat." He took a sip of his drink, watching her from over his mug. Giving him a pout, she started nibbling, leaning into him a bit. Halfway through, Levy put a decent amount on the fork, startling him when she shoved it towards him. "I'm ok. Honest. You need to eat." She frowned, giving him puppy eyes before hearing him sigh gently, leaning forward and opening his mouth. Carefully, she fed him, beaming at her little victory as she continued eating. A chuckle escaped him as he watched her smile to herself. "Oh, right." He pushed her over a bit as he got up, moving towards the counter. He returned with a glass of water, his other hand clenched. Holding his fist out, he told her to put the plate on the coffee table, placing her meds in her hand.

"Ah, yes. Fun…" She took the water, downing the pills and liquid quick. As she finished, she took a deep gulp of air before handing the glass back to him. "Thank you…" He stood, moving to put the glass away when her voice stopped him, "... for everything. I don't think I've said that yet." He glanced down at her from over his shoulder before turning fully towards her and placing the empty glass down beside her plate. As he sat down again, she blinked quite a bit, worried she'd said something funny or wrong. A frown formed on her lips until he brought his right hand up to caress her face while his left took her hand in his.

"You don't have to thank me," he whispered, watching her eyes flutter from the contact, "I'm just glad you're safe. I just wish I'd been able to find you sooner or did more to that idiot. I can't believe it was him." Her eyes opened to find him seething, his stare on the floor beside them as he ran through scenarios in his mind. At the soft touch of her hand against his cheek, he was brought back, his red gaze focusing on her. As silly as it might have been, she found his rage touching. He'd already done so much for her and even now, he was taking care of her. Yet he wished he could do more. Tears sprang to her eyes and before she realized what she was doing, she leaned forward, softly pressing her lips to his. A small strangled noise escaped him, not expecting anything like that from her. At feeling him tense, she opened her eyes, jerking back in alarm.

"I-I'm sorry… I…" she could feel her heart hammering against her chest, her face flushed as she stared down at her lap. Large hands appeared in her field of vision, grasping at the red shirt and pulling her forward. His lips captured hers, a small whimper sounding between them. As he pulled back, he watched her dazed expression.

_'So damn cute.'_ Not wanting to press anything further, he got up, clearing away the dishes as she returned to reality. Her brain gave her no commands or messages and her body relaxed from his gentle touches. When she finally focused, she watched him from her spot on the couch as he washed and put things away before coming back over. "So… I take it you don't want to be cooped up in here all day. Anything you wanted to do?" She pouted, playing with her hair a bit.

"Actually, I do want to just stay here with you," her eyes moved from her hair, to his gaze, straightening in her seat, "i-if that's ok with you?" Gajeel couldn't help the grin that formed as he crossed his arms over his chest, his fangs showing. Seeing that cocky attitude of his returning, she felt her face heat up, hiding herself with her bangs. With everything that had happened, he'd carried himself with a seriousness she had seen of him at his job, able to take over a situation at a moment's notice. It was as though that kiss had broken some sort of spell, freeing them both from so much tension. Part of her felt a bit of normalcy in it, watching him saunter over to give her a devilish smile.

"Ya sure that you can handle staying with me all day?" He let out a dark chuckle at watching her tilt her head in confusion. Bringing his hands up, he wiggled his fingers about, watching her pale. "If I recall, someone is ticklish!"

"Oh my God, no!" she screeched, trying to dive off the couch to no avail as he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her on top of himself. His fingers attacked her sides, feeling her twist and almost choke due to lack of oxygen as laughter racked her tiny frame. "G-Gajeel, can't…! Breathe!"

"Gihee!" He finally stopped, splaying his arms across the back of the couch while watching Levy attempt to catch her breath. When she felt her brain beginning to work again, she realized she was in his lap, looking down at him to see his head tilted back, his eyes closed. "Your laughter is music to my ears," he whispered. She began stammering, her face turning a bright red at hearing something like that. Leaning his head up, he brought his hand up to stroke her face, "You are so beautiful." Now that she matched the shirt she was wearing, she dug her face into his chest, feeling him hold her close. A deep sigh escaped him as he eased back, feeling comfortable with her. Being so close, she caught sight of the bags under his eyes, bringing her hand up to touch his face.

"Gajeel, have you been sleeping?" He opened his left eye, looking at her without moving his head. "Did you sleep at all last night?" She moved to straddle his lap, watching him open both eyes wide. "Please answer me…" His face heated up, his ability to speak disappearing. She pouted, beginning to rub his chest and shoulders. A groan escaped him, his eyes fluttering closed.

"You don't have to do that…," he whispered, grabbing her hands.

"I want to. You've done so much for me. Please let me," she said, swatting his hands away to continue. All coherent thoughts were soon gone, his body melting under her fingertips. She worked on his chest and then moved to his shoulders before attacking each arm. As she finished the second one she giggled as she noticed he had gotten really quiet, his breathing becoming even as he was fading into unconsciousness. "Gajeel?" His head came up, a quick shake causing his hair to spill over his shoulders.

"Damn, Levy, you nearly knocked me out," he mumbled. Peering at her through half lidded eyes, he wrapped his left arm around her before dragging her down to lay on the couch on their right side. She squeaked in surprise, soon cuddling up with her back pressed firmly against his chest. "I think I could lay here all day," he murmured into her hair. It didn't take long for Levy to hear him softly snoozing again, his arm tightening around her waist. Smiling, she settled in his arms, closing her eyes as well.

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**Looking forward to hearing from you, my lovelies!**

**Also doing some sketches for the story, probably post some WiP shots on Deviant ART soon. Be sure to look out for them!**


	15. Mischevious

**Hello lovelies, I come with another chapter for you. This is the one that raises the rating. THAT'S RIGHT, THE SMUT IS HERE (There, you got a warning lol)**

**Looking forward to hearing from you, this took a lot of staring to give myself courage to post. I'm always so self conscious but my darling keeps giving me a little shove to provoke me to create such things haha.**

**Also thanks to him for editing ^ ^**

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It was hours before either of them stirred, the black haired male rising with a deep inhale, his left hand coming up to scrub his face of sleep. His vision was filled with blue as he peered down at the back of Levy's head, her hair fluffed about from not being combed in quite awhile. He loved it, the wildness of it. His hand came up, playing with a few rogue strands, feeling her move at his touch. Another rub of his eyes, his vision focusing on the clock beneath the TV across from them. The glowing numbers read 1:36 pm, causing him to groan at it being so late already. Leaning up without disturbing Levy as much as possible, he climbed over her, picking up the mug from before and moving to the kitchen. Cleaning and putting everything away, he glanced back to see her still sleeping, a smile forming on his face. Stretching, he moved to his room, grabbing a small blanket and coming back to cover her before moving to take a shower. Throwing his clothes over the sink counter, he climbed over the lip of the tub and into the hot spray, feeling the heat ease his muscles. As he started on his hair, his thoughts went to what Levy was talking about with someone coming for him. It just had to be that strange man he'd seen at the house.

_'It's clear he doesn't know where I live. He probably learned about work from Kreem,'_ he mused, rinsing, _'Seems if we wait he'll get himself caught.'_ He reached for his body wash, starting on his chest when a shadow caused him to jump. "The fuck?"

"I'm sorry, Gajeel. You weren't there when I woke," came Levy's sweet voice. Gajeel's face turned red at the thought he was trapped, naked, with her in the same room. He grasped at the curtain, poking his head around the cloth at the small fairy.

"A-are you alright?"

"Yes. I barely remember walking in here. I guess I just didn't want to be alone." He watched as she fidgeted around, occasionally looking up at him. She fiddled with the large sleeves of his shirt she was wearing, playing with the cuffs. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come in here."

"Ah it's ok," he said, "No harm done. I'll be out soon." He noticed her pause, her eyes sneaking glances towards him before she moved to leave. He felt his face flush at the thought that she seemed to want to get a look at him. Retreating back into the water, he listened for her leaving before finishing his shower. He soon emerged with a towel around his waist, another small one in his hands to shake his hair. He found Levy on his bed with her back against the headboard, her legs pulled up with her arms resting on them. "Ah hello," he said, wiping the water from his face. She watched him quietly, her wild hair spilling over her eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, I slept really nice on the couch," she murmured, eyeing him. He smiled, finishing shaking his hair out before tossing the towel into the bathroom. She bit her lip as she watched him move around the room, enjoying watching the rivets of water traveling down his body and ending at the lip of the towel. She felt her face heat up, her eyes darting to her knees as she wondered what came over her. _'Maybe wanting him to hold me so much is getting the better of me,'_ she mused, looking over her fingernails to distract herself. She did admit, being with Gajeel helped her feel so much better about everything that had happened. It was like something out of one of her stories, the dashing hero saving the damsel. His presence was calming and the way he was so determined to take care of her made her lightheaded with happiness. She felt selfish for thinking it but… he helped her forget. She blinked at finding him leaning over in front of her, his face twisted in confusion and concern. "Huh? What?"

"You looked upset. You were spacing out," he murmured. She turned red at how close he was, his arms propping himself up as he leaned forward, his bangs falling into his eyes and water dripping off his hair. She buried her face in her knees, her eyes darting away as she could practically feel heat coming out of her ears.

"I-I'm ok." Seemingly content with her response, he moved towards his dresser, pulling the drawers open and looking through his clothes.

"So I was thinking we go out to shop for food. If you're going to stay awhile, can't keep getting takeout, gihee," he glanced over his shoulder at her, giving her a grin. "Maybe we can go and get Lily too." He paused a moment in thought, "unless Juvia wants to keep him longer. She likes hanging with him. I'll text her…" Levy smiled as she watched him space out, clearly thinking of what to do for the evening. Watching him mumble to himself was adorable. When he'd finally settled on what he wanted to wear he glanced over at her, a devilish grin on his face. "So you gonna watch me change or what?" He saw her face light up again, matching his button down that she was still wearing. "You can take a shower if you want," he paused, turning fully towards her, "unless you try that stuff again…" She jolted, shaking her head.

"I-I'm feeling better. I won't do anything like that again…" She grew nervous as he stared at her silently, leaning up against the dresser with his arms over his chest. The intensity in which he stared had her looking down at the bed, wiggling her toes around to distract herself. "I'm sorry…"

"You don't have to be sorry." Her head snapped up to look at him. "I can't imagine what you went through. Not even in the slightest. I do know if someone held me against my will that I'd lose it but thinking about it isn't the same. I'm not blaming you for what you feel like." He leaned off the dresser, moving to sit beside her again. "I just don't want you hurting yourself." He grabbed her right hand, cupping it between his own and kissing it. "Please, I don't want anything to happen to you ever again." His eyes moved up as he heard her sniffle, her face scrunched in sorrow as she watched him treat her so gently. "Levy…" She shook her head, afraid that if she spoke she would start crying all over. She was so tired of crying. A hand suddenly found its way to the back of her head, her body being pulled forward into his chest. "Cry." She'd been trying so hard not to that she was finding it difficult to start. Squeezing her eyes shut, she remembered hearing Gajeel's voice while she was held in that strange room, the feeling of loneliness when she'd been taken to Kreem's manor, and when she would be left alone for the night when the blonde would be done for the day. Her arms came up under his, curling around to grasp at his shoulders as she began sobbing loudly, her body letting everything go that she'd been holding in. Hearing him give her permission, even though she knew she didn't need it, made it feel ok to unload, the pressure subsiding as the tears cascaded down her face and onto his skin. Gajeel sat quietly with his right arm around her waist while his left hand remained on her head, burying his face into her shoulder. He hated this. The pain she was going through. But seeing her fight internally and try to smile was killing him even more. After everything that had happened, she was still thinking of what he and others thought first. He didn't shush her or try to calm her, he just let her cry until she stopped on her own. It felt like forever until she'd finally slowed down, her body heaving as she sucked in air while sniffling loudly. Even with her settling, he didn't move until she pulled away, her face drenched. Climbing off the bed carefully so his towel wouldn't fall off, he moved to the bathroom to grab her tissues, returning with the whole box. She plucked a few squares, drying her eyes before blowing her nose really hard. She finally looked up at him, her eyes once again red and puffy. "Feeling any better?"

"Yes, actually," she croaked out, her voice half gone. She began wringing the tissues in her hands, her eyes downcast. "Not sure why you're putting up with me. I'm a mess…" A gasp escaped her as he leaned forward, gently kissing her lips.

"I'm not 'putting up' with anything. Don't think that for even a second longer." He moved her hair from her face, gliding his fingers down her jawline before finally pulling back and standing at full height. "Now are you going to take a shower?" She glanced up to find him giving her a small smirk, her head tilting to the side in confusion, "or would you rather I helped ya with it?" She bristled at his words, not expecting it. His signature laugh sounded through the quiet room, her face flushing at the sudden change in mood. There he was again, trying to make her feel better. She was thoroughly enjoying his distractions though, her eyes glancing at his towel for two seconds. When she didn't make any sort of reply, he raised an eyebrow, intrigued. _'She keeps looking at my hips. Don't fucking blush,'_ he chastised himself, crossing his arms over his chest. Levy began tearing the tissues in her hands a bit, her eyes finding their way to her lap.

"I-I s-should be ok." He watched her move to the edge near him, climbing down before padding over to the bathroom.

"There are more towels right there," he pointed, earning a nod. As she disappeared and the water came on, Gajeel moved back over to his dresser, grabbing the abandoned dark gray sleeveless and baggy beige pants and getting dressed. As he finished pulling his gloves on, his eyes landed on Levy's bag, an evil grin coming over him as he snatched it up and tossed it on the top shelf of his closet before jumping up on his bed and closing his eyes, his hands clasped behind his head. He crossed his legs at the ankles, peeking at the door with one eye before closing them completely and waiting. At hearing the water turn off, he couldn't stop his smile, _'This should be entertaining.'_ The soft click of the door opening signaled her entering his room, the soft carpet deafening any footsteps in. It took all his willpower not to open his eyes, listening for her wandering around. He could hear her shuffling things around with the occasional 'huh' escaping her. Without realizing he was doing it, he was biting his bottom lip to keep from letting any sort of laugh out. He wanted so badly to watch her look so confused. Finally unable to take it anymore, she turned towards him, a hand on her hip.

"Gajeel?"

"Hmm?" his answer was low, making it seem like he was semi asleep.

"Did you see my bag? I can't find it."

_'Don't look at her. You'll laugh, dammit!'_ He kept still, humming his answer. She was clearly not happy, a small huff escaping her as she began to look again. When he felt she was no longer paying attention to him, he peeked his eye open, seeing her in only a towel wandering around on her search. When she looked like she was going to ask him again, he shut his eye, lying still. He felt the bed move a bit, a small noise heard from his left. _'She must have climbed up on the bed.'_ Feeling he'd played off all nonchalant long enough, he turned his head towards her, opening his eyes and letting out a strangled gasp as she was right in his face. Her cheeks were puffed up with her brows down low, her expression telling him that she knew he was responsible for her predicament. He couldn't stop himself as a deep laugh burst from him, causing her to pout even more. Without warning, he grabbed either side of her face, pulling her in to give her a chaste kiss. "You are so adorable, you know that?" He watched her face turn red, her expression still showing a bit of anger along with some shock. The brief pause had him smiling, "Yes?"

"Gajeel, where did you put it?"

"Gihee, not tellin'."

"That's not fair!" More pouting which earned his chuckling. She leaned back so that she was alongside him, her arms crossing her chest as she let out a small grunt. "I thought we were going out to get supplies," she said, eyeing him. He turned on his left side to face her, his arm propping his head up. Without thinking, his right hand gently caressed her legs, a squeak making him chuckle more.

"We are."

"So?" She raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to spill.

"I prefer you in my clothes," he blurted, his face heating up at what he'd said. He quickly recovered by giving her a feral grin.

"I-I… but you… what…?" Her loss of words had him breaking into a huge smile, his body coming up closer to her as his right hand crawled up her thigh. Her eyes remained glued to his hand, feeling the heat from her face travel to her ears and down her neck. There was no doubt in her mind she was as bright as a strawberry now. She felt her mouth go dry as his hand came to rest on her hip. Peering up, she met his crimson stare, feeling the intensity behind it. _'Oh my God, this is going to give me a heart attack. Is it wrong that I want him to touch my skin?'_ Her eyes became half lidded as she imagined him leaning in to kiss her, her heart pounding against her chest so loud she was sure he could hear it. He watched as her little tongue came out to wet her lips, feeling his heart skip a beat.

_'Damnit, she is so cute. I wonder if…'_ his brain stopped working as he moved in, taking her lips with his own, his hand circling around her hip to pull her closer. A soft moan escaped her, her hands coming up to grasp at his shirt. He shifted so his other arm circled underneath her, his right hand wandering over the towel to try and caress her breast. As they pulled away for air, Gajeel brought his mouth down to her throat, kissing her lightly before giving a playful bite, earning a whimper and goosebumps down the side he bit. "Is this ok?" he whispered, earning a frantic nod from his fairy. "If you don't like something, tell me." Another nod. Levy was losing the ability to think, her body enjoying all the little touches and nibbles he gave her. She felt the arm under her move to her lower back, pulling her in closer. Before she could register what was going on he pulled her up, making her straddle him and pulling her down to kiss her deeply. She felt so exposed, the only thing between them being his clothing. The towel did nothing to stop her from feeling the bulge forming beneath her. As they broke for air again, she peered down, seeing his face flushed with his expression in a daze, his bangs splayed over his eyes. He looked so handsome. Feeling his hands on her gave her such a thrill, her adrenaline pouring into her system and making her mind shut down to the feelings he was giving her. His hands rubbed her thighs, stopping right at the towel. He wouldn't dare go any further, feeling this could already be too fast for her, regardless of the precious look on her face. Noticing he slowed his movements, Levy leaned down again, kissing him while running her right hand through his hair while her left remained on his chest for support. Bringing his right hand up to grab the hand against his chest, Gajeel used his other to hold the back of her head. It was taking everything he had not to rip that towel from her and ravish her body. He wanted so bad to clamp his mouth over one of her breasts, to suckle on her nipples and make her squirm. He felt his hard on fighting against his pants, no doubt dripping through the fabric and making a mess. Not that he cared, he was quite content with what he had going on in his lap. Levy panted for air, her head spinning with being overwhelmed. Leaning up on his elbows, Gajeel playfully bit at her neck, hearing her gasp.

"I've never done anything like this before," she murmured, her chest heaving. He flashed her a wild grin, his fangs glinting in the low light.

"Me neither," he replied, watching her go a bit wide eyed. "What?"

"With where you work… you've never….?"

"No way. I hate the people I babysit. Never had the feelings I get with you," he said while stroking her hair. It was starting to fully dry, the strands becoming fluffy again. "Only you, Levy." At hearing that, she buried her face in his chest, embarrassed at how much he was admitting to her. It was so much at once. Her body was responding to him, a throbbing between her legs making her want to rub against him. She resorted to looking up and kissing him again, feeling his hands on her hips. Hooking his arm around her waist, Gajeel flipped them over, moving Levy beneath him, one knee alongside her thigh while the other parted her legs slightly. "This is getting a little dangerous, Levy… I can't promise stopping if this keeps up…" She looked down, her eyes avoiding his as her face turned an even brighter red.

"W-what if I… don't want you to stop?" She peered up to find him frozen, his face as red as hers and a wide eyed expression. "Gaj-" His lips came crashing down, smothering anything she was going to say. A low moan sounded from her as she enjoyed the feeling of him taking over the kiss, his tongue gliding across her bottom lip. She opened her mouth, feeling him invade her. As they broke apart, Gajeel began kissing down her neck, trailing her collarbone before going just above the towel. His eyes moved upward to find her staring at him with a lustful gaze. Cautiously, he brought his hand up, hooking his index finger in the towel and pulling it away from her, exposing her breasts. A smirk tugged at his lips before he leaned down, taking her left nipple into his mouth, a small whimper escaping the blue haired fairy beneath him. Levy peered down, her hair in her face as she watched Gajeel tease her. His nose was partly hidden as he buried his face into the softness of her breasts, his tongue swirling around the tip. With a final slow lick, he moved over to the right, enjoying the noises and squirming she gave. "Gajeel...mmm… ah!" With the towel only covering her hips, she felt her face heat up. Given he was fully clothed, she felt so vulnerable and exposed. She clawed at his shirt around his shoulders, hoping he'd notice. Using his teeth, Gajeel pulled one of his fingerless gloves off, tossing it to the side before reaching under the towel and earning a squeak from the female. He moved to her right side, his fingers sliding between her lips, tickling them lightly. Levy continued squirming, a small pout on her face. "No fair," she whined, earning a raised eyebrow. "I want to take your clothes off…." He chuckled darkly, leaning in to kiss her neck some more.

"Shh.. I'm busy," he replied, moving her hair away from her neck. She shivered and let out a small giggle. "Oh? Ticklish, are ya?" He thought back to when he'd tickle attacked her the first time he'd come over. It felt so, so long ago.

"No, don't…" she mumbled before letting out more giggling. God, he loved that sound. The pure joy in it, knowing she was alright. He didn't realize he'd spaced out until her lips fell on his, bringing him back to reality. Taking advantage to his daze, Levy pushed him on his back, climbing up on her knees while pulling the towel back into place. Gajeel felt his face heat up as she crawled over to him, her hands latching onto his belt. With a quick movement and him lifting his hips for her, his belt was gone, thrown to the ground before her hands attacked the button on his pants. Gajeel let out an audible gulp as he felt and heard a zipper. "Oh my… Happy to see me, Gajeel?" Not used to being made the vulnerable one, he leaned up, pulling her forward and kissing her as her hand snaked down his pants. He let out a hiss as her palm came in contact with him, feeling himself stiffen more in her grasp. Breaking away, her gaze went down, peering at his length in her hand. She'd never seen one before, the thought causing her to freeze up and blush hard. Her ears were burning with the amount of emotion running through her. She peered up at him, seeing he was just as red as she was. She brought her hand up, pushing him back down. "Does this feel good?" she murmured, rubbing her hand gently along his shaft. She watched his eyes flutter while grasping at the sheets, a small smile playing on her lips. _'I guess so.'_

_'My God, her skin is so soft.'_ Gajeel threw his head back, sucking in air as best he could against the sensation of her massaging his heated flesh. He wanted to keep teasing her but his mind had become completely blank, lost in the feeling of her soft touch. He opened his eyes halfway, throwing a glance at the blue haired female to find her watching him with such intensity it has him feeling embarrassed. Meanwhile, Levy was loving the control she had over this large male, his body writhing beneath her. Still determined to get more off him, Levy glided her hand up his torso, pushing his shirt up to play with his nipple. His head darted down, his hand lashing out to grab and stop her. He didn't have the heart to tell her he didn't like her touching them, instead he pulled her forward, giving her a heated kiss. A moan reverberated from her throat, the noise driving him crazy as he tugged at the towel again. It slid down her back to crumple behind her, fully exposing her. Before she could react, his mouth was latched onto her nipples again, pulling her even closer. As a contented sigh escaped her, Levy ran her fingers through his hair. She leaned forward, grasping at his stiff member once more, using the precum that oozed out as a lubricant to glide faster and smoother. Freeing herself from him, she crawled down to rest between his legs, grabbing him again while caressing his sack with her other hand upon pulling it free from his boxers. "Ah, L-Levy…"

"Hm?" she hummed while staring at her work. He twitched under her motions, grasping at whatever he could whether it was the sheets or the pillows. Peering down his body at her, he loved how she stared at it, watching the head pulse and weep. It gave him such a thrill that she was so into it, feeling it fuel his fire. Suddenly it stopped with him looking down in time to see her hook her fingers into the waistband of his pants and boxers. "Help me out?" Without a word, he lifted his hips, watching her pull the offending garments off his hips and halfway down his thighs. She watched as his member bounced free of the clothing again, hearing him gasp at the feeling. Her warm hand returned, massaging the heated flesh around the head and down to the base. He felt her caress his sack, gently rolling the contents in her hand. The slight scratching of her nails felt so good. "That nice?" He was vaguely aware that he was nodding, his breath hitching as her hand focused near the head. He began bucking his hips with her movements, biting his bottom lip.

"Y-yeah, like that." A small smile crossed her face, her eyes watching his body twitch. Her gaze raked over him, enjoying every little fidget and whimper he made. She leaned forward, her breasts hanging over him as she felt his pulse quicken through his length. "L-Levy!" A smile crossed her face as she felt him tense up before coming, his seed hitting her chest as she leaned closer to watch him. His member kicked and jerked in her hand with each pulse, his eyes fluttering at the feeling. She was absolutely loving the cute little whimpering that was escaping him as he came down from his high, his body relaxing as he softened. Now extremely sensitive, he leaned up fast, pulling himself away in the process as he drew her close for a kiss. He didn't want to be left so vulnerable. "That was amazing…" He glanced down, frowning, "Ah damn, I'm sorry… I made a mess," he said, motioning towards her chest. She gave him a smile, tilting her head, her bangs falling into her eyes. She was enjoying the blush on his cheeks, his hair in disarray from all the slight thrashing around he did.

"It's ok. It feels warm on my skin," she murmured softly, hearing him gulp very loudly. Fixing his boxers and pants, he jumped up and hurried into the bathroom, grabbing a dampened washcloth. As he emerged, the sight of Levy naked semi curled up on her side, her body leaning on her arm as she gave him a devilish grin had him feeling lightheaded. Seeing him flustered had her giggling, even though inside she was screaming to herself how embarrassed she was herself. He was making her so bold with his reactions.

"As hot as that sounds, we should seriously get this off you quick. It's tough to clean," he said, motioning her to move to the edge of the bed for him. She complied, enjoying the tinge of red that was still on his face, his breathing still slightly ragged. As he cleaned her off, he noticed she was squirming a bit, her thighs rubbing together. A wide, evil grin formed on his face as he tossed the washcloth towards the bathroom before falling to his knees before her. She blinked repeatedly at him, her eyes wide in curiosity until he grabbed her knees and spread them apart slowly.

"A-ah what are… you? G-Gajeel?"

"No fun for me?" he drawled, gliding his hand up her inner thigh before being greeted by the slickness outside her lips. "You seem like you want me to play…" Her entire face lit up, her hand snatching the towel she was wearing previously to hide her shocked expression. Her stuttering coaxed a deep laugh from him as he tickled her entrance, watching her twitch.

"D-don't look there!" she squeaked, biting the towel. She attempted to move away, only to have him clamp down on her knees to keep her from moving.

"Gihee, but it's so cute," he said while caressing her thighs. He leaned up and forward, meeting her gaze as she peeked out over the towel, a squeak causing him to chuckle. Snaking his arm around her waist, he pulled her in for a kiss before pushing her back down. More stuttering from the reddest face he's ever seen on her, her gaze watching him. He climbed up to sit on her left side, bringing his mouth down to take her nipple in his mouth, his left hand teasing her lips before dipping in, earning a moan. He felt her squeezing his fingers, trying to imagine what it would feel like to be inside her. He let out a groan as he nipped at her flesh, her nipple hardening under his actions. Turning so he'd be on his side now, he hooked his arm under her thigh, pulling it so it would curl around him and effectively keep her legs spread. Levy began stammering some more until his hand returned, teasing her bundle of nerves and causing her to writhe. Sucking in a breath, she reached out to grasp something, her right grabbing the sheets while her left acquired a fistful of his shirt. Every movement of his hand, a passion filled moan or cry left her throat, urging him on as he continued his torment. He thoroughly enjoyed watching as her body wiggled around, her eyes fluttering and rolling back. _'I wonder if she's aware of what she's doing,'_ he mused, rubbing a bit more before delving back into her folds. _'Damnit, it's so warm and squishy. I think I'd go insane…'_ Levy couldn't think straight, her body shuddering at every little touch. There were some times it would be too much, her body wiggling around until the feeling would begin swelling in her lower stomach. She couldn't seem to stop herself as moans and strangled cries erupted from her, making her thankful that Gajeel had no close neighbors. She still felt too exposed, especially ever since Gajeel had redressed himself after his release. Her left hand found the towel, clutching it to her chest until the hand torturing her stopped, removing the cloth before starting again.

"N-no fair… Ah!" She pouted a bit, feeling his laugh through his chest against her back. It was already enough he had her spread against him, to be completely naked still was too much. As he began again though, all thought left her, her hips bucking against him.

"You gonna be a good girl for me?" Her half lidded eyes moved left to see him peering down at her, a wide grin across his face. He leaned down, scraping his fangs across her exposed neck and earning a shiver. As his other hand came up to cradle her head, his tongue darted out, licking her throat up to her jawline. It was just the push she needed as she felt her body tense up and let go, her hips rocking against his hand as she let out a loud cry. "That's my girl," he whispered, pulling back to watch as her toes curled, her eyes fluttering like crazy. As she came down from her high, Levy was greeted by a dashing smile, finding Gajeel nose to nose with her. "Hi there."

"H-hello… I.. I'm...I just…" Leaning down, he captured her lips before pulling back and making sure she saw him put his fingers in his mouth. He chuckled at watching her eyes go wide, her face flushed from both her release and shock.

"You taste delicious," he purred.

_'Ok, I can faint now… right?'_ She remained quiet, her eyes wide and biting her lower lip.

"You ok?" His voice oozed cockiness, his fanged smile curling up as she tried hiding her face. "You are so cute, you know that? With your eyes going crazy and your toes curling." She began sputtering, her eyes avoiding his gaze in embarrassment.

"W-what…! I was...I mean I…" She felt pretty much like she could melt anything at this point, her body turning and burying her face into his chest as he let out a chuckle. Suddenly, she felt so tired, her body loving being pressed against him. She wanted to feel his skin against hers. When did she get so bold? _'I guess being kidnapped and possibly dying can do that,'_ she said to herself, snuggling against him. "G-Gajeel? Can we take a nap?"

"Gihee, sure thing, shrimp. We can still go out later." Oh right, they were suppose to go out. The thought had been long forgotten since their games started. She leaned up, climbing to her feet only to wobble a bit. She heard him laugh softly behind her.

_'No doubt proud that he did this to me,'_ she thought with a smile. "I'm gonna clean up. I'll be right back." He nodded, standing up. "No clothes," she said before walking off, missing him freeze at her words.

_'She must be all loopy. There is no way I'll keep my hands off her if I'm naked too,'_ he thought to himself, stripping down to his boxers before grabbing a pair of cloth slacks. He laid out his red button down from before, in case she wanted to wear it again. Climbing under the covers, he awaited his fairy's return, pulling the covers back for her so she could just jump in. Upon her return, she noticed how he changed, grabbing and throwing on his shirt so she could feel less exposed. Laying down beside him, she curled up against him again, letting out a contented sigh. "Comfy?" She nodded, feeling a yawn attack her as her eyelids grew heavy. "Good. Me too." In her daze, Levy began running her fingers along his arm, tracing around the studs. "So we'll go out later. Just relax," he said, pulling her close and getting cozy himself. In no time at all, they were both out cold, snoozing in each other's arms.

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***hides face* Ok, I did it. Pretty sure my face is as red and warm as Levy's lol**

**Yeah, I really am at a loss of words. Really looking forward to feedback.**

**Also, if you haven't already: you can see some pix on my DeviantART and P atreon of the story (I have to put a space due to the site removing the word when saving the document lol)**

**Also have another Gajevy story starting called Embrace of the Sands, would love if you checked it out *hugs***


	16. Such a tease

**Hello my lovelies, how have you guys been? Didn't hear a whole lot from you and I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me. To those who gave me feedback, you are the motivation for me posting this next chapter. Last one was very *blushes* difficult for me to post and the lack of response was deflating. Especially with over 300 views on this chapter 15 alone.**

**Ok, now that that is out of the way, another smut warning. Gajeel's had a taste and who knows if he can resist his little librarian now. *giggle***

**Thanks to my sexy man for editing assistance!**

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It was quite some time before Levy stirred from her slumber, her body responding to the lack of heat at her side. Cracking her eyes open, she saw that Gajeel was already gone, the imprint of his body still there along with the slight warmth, meaning he wasn't gone very long. She leaned up, her fluffy hair falling into her face and tickling her nose. With a grumble, she glanced around, spying her bag at the edge of the bed. She figured Gajeel must have left it for her, having finished his little game. Crawling over to it, she fished through until she found her yellow headband, a small smile playing on her lips at seeing it. This is what had started everything with them. She wondered if she'd never dropped it if he'd ever have found his way to the library. The thought of the possibility of never having him made her feel terribly depressed, a heavy weight resting on her. So many little things that added up to where they were. If Cana didn't drag her out, if she'd never dropped this, or if she'd never been so scared that day to invite him over. Would they be where they were now? She didn't think so. Clutching the small cloth, she brought it up to her chest, silently thanking it for what it gave her. A life with someone amazing. Running a hand through her hair, she tied the cloth into place, feeling a little more like herself. She hadn't worn one since the night she'd been kidnapped. Thinking back to that night had her frowning. She remembered being locked in the trunk, the thin air and heat driving her crazy as she awaited what was going to release her. The harsh grip of that man as he dragged her inside, tying her up and keeping her in that windowless room. Droplets hit the sheets, her heart aching as she recalled everything. She clutched herself tight, hiccuping as she attempted to hold back her sorrow. She was alone for such a short time already and she was falling to pieces.

"Oi, what happened?" At hearing his voice, her head shot up, another hiccup causing her to bounce. Gajeel stood in the doorway back in the clothes he was wearing before, a large, white mug in his hand with a look of concern on his features. Placing the large cup on his dresser, he walked over, sitting beside her and pulling her in for a hug. She buried her face in his chest, wishing she had some tissues to dry her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Just… thinking too much," she whispered. She instantly felt everything melt away, his presence easing all the tension from her body. This was her hero. "Thank you." She felt him nod, his arms feeling so large around her. She'd always known she was short but something about being in his embrace made her feel not only small but precious. She pulled back, rubbing the corners of her eyes, "What time is it?"

"It's only 4, we didn't sleep that long," he said, climbing to his feet and moving towards his dresser. He snagged the mug, moving back to hand it to her, "when you're ready, we can go out. Here." She pulled the large sleeves back, blinking up at him as she accepted his treat. She brought it under her nose, inhaling deep.

"Oolong tea?"

"That's what you like, isn't it?" She smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling from the emotion behind them. "I bought it in case you ever came over," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck while looking away. He looked back to find her staring into the cup as though merely looking at her reflection in it. "Levy?"

"You're a sweetie, you know that?" she whispered, looking up at him again. "You've done so much more than you know." He smiled, standing up and leaning over to kiss her forehead which he noticed was visible now due to one of her signature headbands. He walked towards the doorway, stuffing his hands in his pockets while glancing over his shoulder.

"Gihee, take your time. When you're ready, we'll go out." With that he disappeared into the hall, leaving her alone on the bed. Taking a sip, she tasted that he'd put sugar in for her, noticing it wasn't enough but she didn't care. It was from him and that was all that mattered. Taking another sip, she moved off the bed, placing the beverage on the dresser before ransacking her bag. She pulled out a pair of white pants and a black sleeveless shirt before grabbing a set of undergarments and getting dressed. She folded up Gajeel's shirt, placing it on top the dresser before drinking more of her tea. A quick look on the mirror and she was off, walking into the hallway and towards the kitchen. The hardwood floor creaked slightly under her weight, signaling to Gajeel that she was out. Levy turned the corner in time to see him throw his phone on the counter before turning towards her, leaning back on his elbows against it. "There she is. Feeling better?"

"Were you on the phone?"

"What? Ah, yeah, Lyon… I didn't want to worry you," he mumbled, giving the device a quick glance. She watched him a moment, looking for any tells on what had transpired. Feeling he was being studied, he pushed off the edge, sauntering over towards her, "I promise, everything's fine. He was just giving me an update." She raised an eyebrow, feeling there was more until he gave her a most evil grin, catching her off guard, "I'd much rather talk about the fun we had before." He grabbed her around her waist, pulling her in fast and hard so she squeaked at contact. He plucked the mug from her hand, placing it on the table before lifting her up and placing her on the counter.

"G-Gajeel!"

"Yesssssss?" he drawled, leaning in close. She had little room to run or hide, feeling his arms on either side of her, caging her in. He enjoyed how speechless she was, her face a bright red as she attempted to stutter through a sentence. What she was trying to say, he was never going to know as he pulled her in to press his lips to hers while pressing his body as close as he could. He didn't want to talk to her about the call, how Lyon said the man hadn't shown up at all since and it was making him nervous. He was seriously worried that this stranger could show up here. It was too much of a risk to ignore. Just before Levy had appeared, he was able to send Cana a text, asking if she'd heard anything in regards to Kreem. He was still waiting for an answer and hoped there was good news when he got it. Bringing his hands up to hold her head, he slid his tongue over her lip. When she didn't respond fast enough, he nibbled a bit, earning a giggle from her. He wanted nothing more than to protect that happiness. He'd fallen so hard for her, there was no getting back to. And he loved it.

_'Something is wrong. I can just feel it,'_ Levy thought as she felt him glide his tongue across. Being so swept up in trying to figure out what it was she didn't respond in time, feeling his fangs nip at her lips. She couldn't help herself as she let out a giggle, finally complying and letting him explore her mouth. Her brain began shutting down as his hands moved down from her head to caress her breasts. Moving from her lips, he turned his head and attacked her neck between her jaw and shoulder, hearing her give a contented sigh. "Gajeel…" Hearing her moan his name gave him such a thrill, his ego swelling as he moved to kiss her collarbone. The sleeveless she was wearing went up to her neck, making him growl at the barrier between him and the desired skin. For two seconds he struggled with if he should be good and they leave or whether he should remove her shirt, the latter winning as he hooked his thumbs under the soft fabric. Pulling back, he jerked his head upward to signal her to lift her arms. She blinked innocently at him, unsure what he wanted until he grabbed her wrists, holding them up and swishing her shirt off by the hem. He was greeted by a dark blue, lacy bra, the floral design on it making him smile. "Gajeel, I thought-." An index finger to her lips silenced her, making her flustered as she watched him stare at her bra. She couldn't help but giggle at his attempts to figure out how to take it off.

"Ah fuck it," he mumbled, grabbing the edge under her breasts and pulling it up and over them. The slight upward tug had them catching, the soft mounds bouncing as they came free. "Mmm I like that," he purred before taking the left nipple in his mouth, his fingers dancing across the right one. He bit her, earning a squeak.

"Please be gentle," she whispered, watching him nod before flicking her with his tongue. "Ah!" Her hands found their way in his hair, massaging his scalp. He paused for a moment, enjoying the feel before continuing with his prize.

"Gihee!" He moved over to her right, changing positions with his hands. He brought his left arm around her waist, pulling her closer. He pulled back, meeting her gaze with a raised eyebrow, "Aren't these suppose to give milk?" He watched her blush deepen, her eyes wide as she lightly smacked his chest. She brought an arm over her breasts in embarrassment, making a face that clearly read she was uncomfortable.

"N-No!" He gave a shrug, moving her arm and leaning in to take her nipple back.

"I think they should," he said against her, feeling her squirm. He glanced up from his spot, seeing her mouth partly open and her eyes closed, enjoying every adorable noises she made. Which was a lot. Not that he was complaining; he absolutely adored it. "You seem to really like this, hmm?" She'd always been so self conscious of her breasts so to have this man attack them every chance he got, she was loving it. Plus the little touches and nibbling felt so good. To which she voiced her appreciation for through moaning. A loud buzzing caught their attention, Gajeel's head coming around her to find his phone dancing on the countertop. From what he could see it was Cana, making him grab it and thrust it into Levy's hand. "You talk to the princess. I asked her about updates." Blinking in confusion, she pressed the talk button and brought it to her ear. She was about to say hello when Gajeel lightly chomped down on her breast again. Her hand flew up, clamping over her mouth before any sound could escape. She glared down at him, seeing a positively evil smile on his face. "Go on." She shook her head, holding the phone at almost arm length away while Cana's voice came through with confusion at not hearing anything. "Something wrong?"

"You are evil. Here!"

"Levy?" The blue haired female winced at hearing her friend call her, reluctantly putting the phone to her ear and watching Gajeel lean in for the kill. She leaned back only to feel his arms hold her in place, his mouth clamping on her nipple once more. Levy bit the inside of her cheek lightly, sucking in a breath to try and keep quiet. "Levy, is that you?"

"Y-yeah, I'm here, Cana," she whispered, afraid of what he was doing.

"Where's Gajeel? I need to talk to him." She saw him shake his head before licking her slowly. "Are you ok?"

"Y-yeah, I'm f-fine… why do you a-ask?" She could practically hear her friend tapping her foot in thought. Levy quickly thrusted the phone forward, tapping his head and causing him to pout as he took the phone.

"No fun," he mumbled before putting the cell to his ear, "Yeah?" Levy could only hear her blood pounding on her ears, the noise muffling anything Cana said on the phone. "She's fine… no… don't worry about it… After you can talk to her, did you find anything out?" Gajeel gave her a frown before motioning for her to fix her clothes, moving back to continue the call. The blue haired female adjusted her bra and shirt, giving him a look before gaining an evil grin of her own. As she climbed down from the counter, Gajeel turned away from her, his voice lowering. A sharp gasp escaped him as a thin hand found its way at the front of his pants, her grip finding his zipper instantly while stroking him through the cloth.

"What happened?" Levy heard Cana ask, raising an eyebrow as she waited for his excuse. He turned red, his wide eyes peering down at her in shock.

"I… uh… stubbed my toe!"

"What?" They could practically hear her say 'Um, I don't think so.' Knowing she most likely didn't believe him, he ended up half shouting at her.

"Forget it, just keep talking!" Levy giggled before unbuckling his belt and unbuttoning him, being greeted by a bugle in his black boxers. He tried taking a step away from her, his body colliding with the wall and stopping him for her. Content with where her prey was, Levy undid the small button on the front of his boxers before sliding her hand in to find his very stiff length. "Uh huh…" he whispered into the phone, his red eyes never leaving the fairy in front of him. She gave him a sly grin, giving him the motion for him to keep talking. Studded brows came down as he semi glared at her for doing what he was trying to do just a moment ago. "Listen, someone's at the door. I'll call you back," he breathed out while clicking off. Stuffing his phone in his pocket, he reached down and grabbed her arms, lifting her up so she was standing. "You…"

"Not fun when it's done to you, hmm?" She couldn't help herself as she started laughing, her free hand coming up to cover her mouth a bit. He was about to retort when her hand tugged at him, causing him to give a shuddered moan instead. "You were going to say something?" She felt his grip on her arms loosen, her free hand coming up to push him against the wall. "You make me so bold, you know that?" she whispered, watching him lean his head back to get more air. "We're never going to leave at this rate." She giggled as he shrugged his shoulders, his knees buckling slightly under her attack. "You like this?"

"Very much so," he mumbled, licking his lips as he looked down at her, finding her kneeling down again. 'Oh my God, she's gonna be the death of me.' Seeing her in front of him like that, stroking his member had him feeling lightheaded. He worried he was going to collapse, looking for something for support.

"Everything ok?"

"Just trying not to fall," he muttered, licking his lips again. Levy giggled, her eyes glancing around towards the living room. Giving his leg a light tap, she pointed to its direction. His head curved around the corner. Ah, the couch. "Good call," he mumbled, pulling her up again and kissing her as they stumbled over to it. When Levy felt he was close enough, she broke away from him, yanking his pants down mid thigh and pushing his chest. Having little strength left, he collapsed onto the couch, watching her kneel down and settle between his knees. His breathing became ragged as his heart rate increased. Levy slowly wrapped her hand around his length, pulling him free of his boxers again and keeping her gaze on him. She began gliding her hand along the shaft from base to tip, seeing him throw his head back. Feeling her soft skin against him had him squirming until Levy leaned onto his lap, getting closer. As she rubbed him, a bead of precum collected at his tip. She gazed at it, not having a good look from earlier. Curiously, she took her fingertip, dabbing it and watching the thin clear string that formed between her finger and his pulsing head. Looking down to see her playing with him brought a moan from his throat, feeling his face heat up further. Levy's eyes moved from her task to meet his red gaze, a smirk forming on her lips as she brought her finger to her mouth, licking it. His eyes practically bulged out of his skull, feeling a shudder pass through him.

_'If you can do it, so can I,'_ she mused, recalling his earlier teasing. "Are you alright, Gajeel?" She tilted her head innocently as she grasped him once more. Words tried to form but the second she grabbed him again they caught in his throat. He resorted to groaning, afraid of how incapable of speech he was. Bringing her gaze back to his member, she looked it over while rubbing it, marveling at the thick vein that went from under the mushroom tip to the base, becoming lost in the dark hair around it. She brought her other hand up, cupping his sack again and feeling him buck into her hand. He seemed to really like her touching those. Watching as Levy glided her hand along him was so erotic. His bangs fell into his eyes as he peered down. Breathing was becoming a full time job as his chest heaved, his body feeling like it was on fire. "Gajeel." His eyes shot to meet her honey gaze, seeing the lust within them as she moaned his name. "You going to be good?" He realized she was mimicking him, probably unsure what to say otherwise. He chuckled inwardly at how she was trying to be all cute and seductive, knowing this was new territory for them. She continued pumping him, enjoying every little sound and motion. Her hand slipped a moment from all the natural lubricant, her grasp returning instantly and making him moan all over again.

"L-Levy, that feels so nice," he whispered, realizing he didn't really answer her. His brain wasn't firing properly. She watched him, noticing he really liked when she focused more near the head. By this point, it was weeping with juices, his hips moving on their own slightly to increase the friction. "L-Levy! Ah!" A shot of his discharge hit her cheek before he bolted up and covered himself with his hand, stopping the rest from getting on her. "S-sorry…" She merely smiled, caressing his sack a bit more and hearing him gasp.

"For what? You did nothing wrong," she said innocently, bringing a hand up to her cheek. "Did you like that?" He nodded mutely, feeling like a small child with his inability to speak and only do head motions. "Good, because it was fun," she purred, resting a hand on his thigh.

"Holy hell…" She climbed to her feet and sat down beside him, gliding her hand along his jaw before leaning in for a kiss. A giggle escaped her as his bangs tickled her face, her hand coming up to move them aside. All he could do was stare at her. He wasn't sure moving was such a good idea. His pants were tying him down, still down around his thighs while one hand was coated with his semen. "Um.. I… uh…" He watched her grin, clearly enjoying his speechlessness. She hummed at him, waiting for him to finish. "Any chance I could ask you for tissues," he mumbled, lowering his gaze so his bangs covered his face. He felt her kiss his forehead, getting to her feet and walking away. _'That… was so sexy. Oh my God, look at those hips,'_ he thought as she moved to get what he needed. While she had voiced how self conscious she was about her chest, the rest of her curves made up for it. He was content with watching her walk around, her hips swaying as she did. She returned with the tissues, having cleaned her cheek, and handing them over and sitting beside him. Gajeel definitely felt awkward with doing this with her right there, feeling like she was examining everything he was doing. Sure enough, he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, seeing her stare intently. "You are so sexy…" He felt her flinch, her body jerking back to press herself against the couch.

"You're crazy. I am not," she shot back. Gajeel couldn't stop himself as he motioned to his groin area, giving her an incredulous look.

"Um, hello?" Finally getting his hand cleaned, he adjusted himself, standing and pulling his pants back up. Moving to the kitchen, he tossed the soiled tissues out. "Fuck, Levy, I dare you to deny what just happened," he looked over with a grin to see her pulling her legs up and burying herself in her arms.

"I don't know what came over me!" Her voice was squeaky, her entire face turning bright red.

"Well, whatever it was," he sat beside her, pulling her arms to find her, "I liked it." He freed her from herself, pulling her close to snuggle against his chest. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, the pair of them merely holding each other, Gajeel blinked a bit. "What were we supposed to be doing?" Levy started laughing, holding her sides.

"Going out? You have no food," she replied through the laughter, peering up at him. He gave her a feral grin, enjoying the sound of her happy voice.

"Damn, I forgot all about that," he glanced towards his kitchen before shrugging his shoulders, "Fuck it, we'll do takeout again. Always tomorrow!" Levy kept laughing, his reactions to everything being so precious and cute to her. When she was able to, she glanced up to see him making a face.

"What's wrong?"

"I have to call the alcohol princess back…" Another fit of laughter assaulted her, her body falling over and away from him as she clutched her sides. Cana must have been so confused about what was going on. Though at the same time, she probably knew exactly what it was about. "You little demon, this is all your fault!" He leaned over, grabbing her sides and digging his fingers in as he tickled her.

"Aaaah! No, stop! Gajeel! Y-you started it!" She fought against him, tears forming at the corners of her eyes from laughter.

"Punishment!" he shouted, enjoying her happiness. He ceased his attack, hearing her gasp for air from all the laughing. His body covered hers, his knees on either side of her. The feeling in his chest at how much better she was had him beaming, his fanged smile showing from ear to ear. Upon settling down, she tilted her head in confusion, a silent question to him. Leaning down, he captured her lips. "There's my girl."

\---

Dinner had resulted in Italian food with Gajeel getting chicken parmesan while Levy opted for chicken fettuccini alfredo. They ate while talking about Gajeel's call back to Cana, his face red from having to try and come up with some sort of excuse. The brunette had refused to talk about anything else until he'd fessed up. He stuck with his injured toe story for the yelp while saying the delivery guy was at the door. He could tell from her tone she wasn't buying it at all. In honesty, it had pissed him off. Who was she to demand such explanations? He brushed it off, however, figuring it was more trouble than it was worth to worry about it. With little effort, he changed the topic to their evening and what they wanted to do. They had already missed their chance at going into the world, having better things to do.

"We can watch a movie if ya want. I don't have a lot though," he said while twirling a portion of pasta on his fork.

"I'm sure whatever you have is fine," she replied with a smile, crossing her legs. She was becoming giddy at the thought of snuggling on the couch with him, to feel his arms around her. She took a sip of her water, watching him.

"It'll have to be, gihee!" He had the fork in his mouth again, his expression showing pure happiness. A slight buzzing caught their attention with Levy excusing herself while mentioning it was Lucy. Gajeel gave a nod, standing to clear the table while she wasn't paying attention. As he finished washing the utensils he heard her soft footsteps approach from behind him.

"Oh, Gajeel, I would have helped you," she whined, giving him a frown. He leaned over while drying his hands, planting a kiss on her.

"Don't worry about it," he pointed towards the living room, "my movies are over there on the shelf. Go at it." She gave him another pout before turning to do as she was told. Unable to control himself, he lunged forward, smacking her tush as she walked away. She squeaked while grabbing it, turning to look at him over her shoulder. "Can't help myself," he said simply, shrugging his shoulders before putting the rest of the dry items away. At the sound of her giggle, he smirked to himself, listening for her walking away.

"Wow, you weren't kidding. You really don't have a lot," she called out with a small laugh. She glided her finger over the choices, settling on 'The Matrix.' It wasn't long before they were cuddled up, watching Neo attempt to hide from the Agents at his job while Morpheus tried talking him through it. Close to the end, Gajeel looked down to find her sleeping, smiling softly at how she tried getting closer to him every time he moved. Shutting everything off, he lifted her up, carrying her towards his room. "There is no spoon," she mumbled in her sleep. He placed her down on his bed, running a hand through his hair. Biting his lip, he was unsure what he should do in terms of her clothes. There was no way she was going to sleep in all of them. After everything today, stripping her should have been easy but he didn't want to wake her or know what she would usually sleep in. If it were up to him, it would be naked for sure. Shaking his head clear, he gave up, letting her stay in her clothing while pulling the blanket up. Changing into a pair of thin slacks, he climbed in next to her, falling asleep with the smell of flowers easing him.

\---

Kreem stormed out of the police station with his lawyer hot on his heels. The evening air was a welcoming reprieve from being trapped in that building over the last day and a half. It cost him a pretty penny but he managed to grease enough fingers to have things overlooked. The overall cost was a small fortune thanks to Redfox handing over images of the body in the closet but with enough money, one could do crazy things. Luckily for him, he'd paid someone to remove it from his home so when he was picked up, there was nothing for them to find. He ran his fingers through his hair, the blonde strands falling back into place. He seethed as he stared out into the street, the man beside him talking but nothing registering. He had eyes on one thing: making that man pay for what he put him through. He'd had his precious doll but he came in and took her away. The blonde took a deep breath, the action silencing the man beside him as he noticed he wasn't responding to anything he was saying. If not for the money, the guy would have probably walked away for such disrespect. He was putting his career on the line to defend this psycho, the least he could do was listen to him. Kreem turned his blue eyes towards the man, watching a shiver pass through him at the crazed look upon the rich snob's face. Letting out a nasty scoff, Kreem pulled out his phone, a glare crossing his face as he brought it to his ear. Turning away from the noise of the streets, Kreem growled into the cell, the words becoming obscured by the sounds of vehicles and people in the background. The lawyer flinched as the blonde turned slightly, his crazed eyes looking through him as he finished his call, pulling the phone away. Slowly he watched as his client's face melted into an expression of creepy calm, telling him he was ready to go home.

\---

**Oh dear, we can see Kreem could be up to something. Jose is still out there and who knows what could happen!**

**Who do you think will strike first?**

**Looking forward to hearing from you.**

**Also be sure to check my bio for site locations for FAN ART for my stories *love***


	17. To market, to market

**Hello my lovelies~! Was so happy to hear from you guys~! I know its difficult to comment when the smutty-ness happens but with everything going completely _silent_ had been so discouraging. Thanks so much for talking to me again =^ ^=**

**Thanks to my darling for editing assistance**

\---

Gajeel let out a small grumble as he stirred from his sleep, the sight of blue locks making him smile as he leaned in to breath in her scent. The small frame against him felt so right as he tightened his arms around her. It was then he realized she was in an orange tank top and black shorts, clearly having woken up during the night to change out of the previous outfit. Gajeel wanted nothing more than to fall back asleep with his precious girl against him but his mind had other plans, his thoughts going to what he needed to do. This was the third day since she had been brought home from the hospital and there was no doubt in his mind that the police would want to talk to her again at this point. He didn't like those two at the hospital, feeling like they were judging him from the start. While that Mitch guy was acting all nice, underneath it all, Gajeel felt like he was keeping things from them. Perhaps even from his partner, as the other guy seemed more humble and reserved. Regardless of what he thought, Gajeel wasn't going to leave Levy alone with them. A deep sigh escaped him as he gently freed himself from her, climbing out of bed. A quick glance over his shoulder had him seeing her curl up from the lack of warmth. He pulled the blanket up higher, hoping it would suffice enough so she wouldn't wake up. For a moment, it seemed to work until he turned back from raiding his closet to find her peering at him from under the lip of the blanket, her honey eyes staring at him.

"Morning," she murmured, a small smile peeking out from under the blanket. He returned the gesture with his own, his fangs glinting in the low light. He walked towards the bathroom with his clothing in tow, tilting his head a moment as he glanced back at her over his shoulder.

"Care to join me?" He let out his signature laugh as she turned bright red and hid beneath the heavy cloth, a puff of her hair escaping along with a muffled squeak. At least until reality hit them in the face again he would keep her happy. Thanks to this horrible event, he'd been able to get so close to her, he was beginning to think he couldn't live without her. Just seeing her in his bed just felt so right. Plus, he absolutely loved teasing her. He tossed his clothing on the bed, climbing up to get close to her. "Well?" She peered over the blanket to find him leaning down into her face, her cheeks burning up.

"Y-you were serious?"

"You thought otherwise?" he replied with a grin. He took the chance to climb back off the bed as she stammered through a sentence, the words illegible. "Well, if you change your mind," he said as he walked into the bathroom. Levy sank into the pillows, bringing the blanket up to cover the lower half of her face. She could still feel her heart hammering against her ribcage, her cheeks still on fire. As she calmed down, she noticed he didn't take his clothes.

"Oh, that man… he did that on purpose," she mumbled, biting her bottom lip. Scratching her head, she threw the blanket back, climbing down off the bed and walking up to the mirror. A fluff of blue greeted her in the reflection, causing her to scoff at how ridiculous she looked. The sound of running water reverberated through the silence, causing a blush to dust her cheeks as she stared into the reflective glass. Meanwhile, in the shower, Gajeel was focused on what he needed to do. His mind was distracted with whom he had to call and check in on. With Levy found, he was probably going to be going back to work soon. He didn't like the thought of leaving her alone though. It might be too soon. While she seemed ok for the time being, her mind was still fragile. Being alone for the smallest amount of time seemed to bring her right back to square one. Then there was also the problem with this Jose character. Gajeel frowned at the thought, leaning against the tiled wall as warm water continued to cascade down his body.

"I dunno what to do…" he whispered, leaning the side of his head against the wall. After a moment, he listened to see if he could hear Levy, the only sound being the water hitting the ground. Cranking the shower off, he pulled the curtain back and grabbed a towel, beginning to dry off while still listening. The silence was irking him, he knew for sure she was up. Shaking his hair a bit, he climbed out, wrapping the towel around his waist before exiting the bathroom. He was startled at finding his room empty. "Levy?" A tiny 'hmm' caught him off guard, walking up to find her on the floor in front of his bed. A smile crossed his face at finding her sitting Indian style with a heavy book in her lap, her focus on the pages. "Where ya get that?"

"Lucy packed it, it was at the bottom," she murmured without looking up. Crossing his arms over his chest, he merely watched her a moment, happy to see her doing something she liked. Feeling that she was being stared at, Levy's head came up, an instant blush coming over her at the sight of his state of undress. The sight of the blush on her ears had him chuckling before moving to grab the clothes he'd left on the bed.

"Anything good?"

"All books are good," she blurted without thinking. He paused a moment before walking up and leaning to grab it, ignoring the protest she gave. He flipped through it a little, grimacing at how thick it was.

"No pictures?" A small giggle had him looking down, finding her on her knees at the attempt at retrieving the tome. Remembering the last time she was like that had him blushing and handing the book back, walking away before trouble started. "So what's it about?"

"Just a collection of fairy tales. She must have grabbed the first one she saw. If I recall this was on my nightstand," she murmured, staring at it. "This is more like the real stories for it."

"Real?"

"All fairy tales are more about cruelty and death, rather than the happy ones they tell children… I guess talking to Cana had me reading it…" she whispered, recalling how the brunette had convinced her to go out that night. Levy sank down onto her tush, her focus still on the large book. Using her intense focus to his advantage, Gajeel managed to get his boxers and white baggy pants on without her moving. He frowned at her silence as he reached for his forest green sleeveless, thumbing the fabric as he watched her. "She probably didn't look at what she grabbed…" Gajeel walked over, leaning against the bed as he slid down to sit beside her.

"What's the difference with this one?" She peered up at him, noticing he was mostly dressed and wondered how long she had spaced out for. Settling next to him more comfortably, she opened the book to the table of contents, giving it a quick glance before finding the desired page.

"You sure you want to know? Pretty dark compared to the nice ones."

"I asked didn't I?"

"Asked without knowing what you're talking about," she replied with a small giggle, "Well let's see. Do you know the story about Snow White?"

"Vaguely," he replied, earning a raised eyebrow. Her lack of reply had him looking at her, her expression making him blush. "There a problem?"

"No, just… didn't expect you to know anything about it," she said with a giggle. She turned the pages again until she got to the section she was referring to. "In the safe version, the evil queen who is Snow White's stepmother falls from a cliff. In this one, she is forced to wear iron shoes to which she is made to dance on hot coals until she dies." She saw it out of the corner of her eye that he noticeably cringed, his body tensing up. "Or…" she flipped more pages until she was greeted by a section labeled 'Sleeping Beauty,' her finger gliding down the paper, "in this one, the princess is woken by a true love's kiss when in reality she is raped and has children the entire time she is under the enchantment. It's rather cruel…"

"And you read this shit?" She could hear the disgust in his voice, refusing to look at his obviously uncomfortable expression. "Levy…"

"It was something Cana said…" she whispered again. She moved to push her bangs out of her eyes, flashes of the last week flitting through her mind. _'And she was right.'_ A hand on her chin brought her back, her head being turned to find red eyes staring at her intently. She pulled back, closing the book and placing it beside her, her fingers lingering on the cover.

"What did she say?"

"Nothing."

"Yeah, right. I don't believe that for a minute," he grumbled as he pulled his shirt over his head, freeing his hair from it before pulling it down. Levy snickered, knowing he must have been thinking the worst.

"She said how fairy tales aren't real… how the real world isn't sweet. They are real, just that they are more like these," she glided her hand along the cover. "To think there are people in this world who can be so cruel…" He frowned, knowing what she was referring to. Curling his arm around her waist, he pulled her into his lap, pushing her wild hair out of her face.

"Don't think about it," he murmured, hugging her close with his head finding it's way in the crook of her neck. She smiled, stroking his damp hair as he held her. They sat there for a few minutes until Levy began shaking, causing him to pull back to see tears at the corners of her eyes. "It's ok."

"You must be getting sick of me being like this," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. A yelp escaped her as he pinched her cheek, her hand flying up to cover the slight red mark that formed where he got her.

"How many times I gotta tell ya?"

"Until you are blue in the face," she said while rubbing her cheek. Her whole body spasmed as he began tickling her sides. "No, stop!" He pushed her to the ground, his body coming over hers as he continued his assault. "G-Gajeel! Stop!" Adrenaline helped her with pulling his wrists away from herself, her body twisting as she crawled away.

"Gihee, I can't help it if you make it so damn fun," he said with a chuckle, enjoying the view as she crawled away from him. _'My God I want to spank that.'_ He averted his gaze before his body responded to what he was thinking. She collapsed on her side, gasping for air. Climbing to his feet, Gajeel dusted his pants a bit before turning towards her, chuckling at the sight of her. "Alright, you, why don't you shower and we can go out. Like we were suppose to yesterday."

"We had better things to do," came the instant reply that had him blushing. He coughed into his fist, his body turning away from her.

"Yeah, well, we still need to go. We'll starve at this rate," he walked away, finding his dresser very interesting all of a sudden to keep from looking at her. Taking a deep breath, Levy leaned up, grabbing her book and climbing to her feet. "Am I gonna have to check on you?"

"No."

"Alright, I'll be in the living room," he said, looking at her via the mirror, watching her toss the book on the bed. Without waiting for an answer, he snagged his cell before walking out. A quick shower and she was dressed, running a brush through her hair before pulling her headband into place. Her outfit consisted of a dark yellow sleeveless and white pants, her headband matching her top. It was the same headband that Gajeel had brought to her that day in the library. She grabbed her head as her thoughts went to work, wondering if she'd ever feel the same about going. Shaking her head, she glared into the reflection.

"One step at a time," she said, turning on her heel to exit the bedroom. The creak of the floorboards signaled that she was approaching, causing Gajeel to meet her near the door. "Ready when you are!" He smiled at how cheery she was, hoping it wasn't just a mask. Offering his arm, he grabbed his helmet, waiting for her to open the door. Locking up, they headed out with Levy taking a deep breath. _'First time out since the hospital, everything will be fine. Gajeel's here.'_ she glanced up at the said man, feeling a sense of comfort at seeing him focused on his task. She was broken from her thoughts as he grabbed her around the waist and sat her on his bike, placing his helmet over her head.

"Yours is still at your place. So you'll be wearing that," he said as he mounted in front of her. Her hands came up to hold it in place before grabbing him around his torso. "Maybe we can get it later. We'll call Makarov to see if anyone has been around." A muffled reply sounded behind him, a chuckle escaping him as he revved the engine and took off feeling her grip him tight.

After a ten minute ride they arrived at the store with Levy taking a minute to pry herself off of the male in front of her. He thought it to be entertaining to weave between other cars, scaring her to hold him tighter. Gajeel would have to admit, her hold took the breath from him. "You can let go now."

"Not so sure about that," she whimpered, the sound muffled in his helmet. "You're so mean."

"You're fun to tease."

"That's not teasing!" She jumped off the motorcycle, yanking the helmet off. Using his left leg to keep the bike still, he covered his mouth as he tried not laughing at her red face and fluffed hair. "It's doing it again…. Isn't it?" At that, Gajeel threw his head back, a loud laugh booming from him. Levy stamped her foot, her boot making little noise against the asphalt. Her cheeks puffed up as she glanced away from him, her face a deep scarlet. Placing the helmet on the seat behind him, Levy turned on her heel and walked towards the shop, causing Gajeel to stop laughing as he cut the bike off and chased after her. He draped his arm over her shoulders, his hand resting near her left breast. "Big meanie," she mumbled, avoiding eye contact. He pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head. She pulled on her purse strap, pouting.

"So what do you want to get? Whatever you want!" Gajeel exclaimed as they walked in. She stayed quiet a moment, making him think she was being stubborn and not answering until she began moving away from him to grab a basket. He snatched it away from her, motioning for her to lead the way. Crossing her arms, she leaned slightly to her right, her hip jutting out noticeably for him. His eyes traveled up her body to catch her making a face at him.

"I can hold that, you know."

"Not my lady. Now go," he replied with a laugh. They got a small amount of things given they were going to have to balance on the motorcycle. Some chicken, rice, and vegetables, the latter Gajeel made a face at. "I thought rabbits eat this stuff." He watched as Levy puffed up her cheeks, a chuckle escaping him. "You a bunny girl?" She blinked a minute before turning red and covering her chest, imagining wearing one of those showy outfits.

"Picking on me…"

"Only cuz I like ya," he whispered. She paused mid step, unable to resist smiling at him for that. After a minute, the annoyed expression returned as she walked ahead of him.

"If you did, you'd stop making fun of me."

"Playful banter, as I've said before," he replied as they moved to the checkout line. His mind became distracted at her movements, her hips causing him to blank out until she was waving in his face. "What?"

"We're all set," she said, holding up two bags. He blushed at realizing he'd completely spaced out and missed paying. She tilted her head in confusion before shrugging and walking off.

_'Has no idea what she does to me,'_ he thought as he watched her. "Who gave you permission to pay?" he said while grabbing one of the bags from her, causing her to turn towards him.

"You have done a lot for me, I don't need you to do that too. Besides, you were in another world." She continued walking out of the store with him close on her heels. Once they were away from the public, Gajeel wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close.

"That's your fault." She peered up at him, her large brown eyes blinking slowly at him in confusion.

"What did I do?" A quick glance around to make sure no one was near had Gajeel grabbing her tush, earning a sharp squeak. "Gajeel!"

"Gihee, get it now?" he grinned, watching her face light up. She stared at the ground as they walked towards his motorcycle. Her ears felt like they were about to let out steam. "Heh, was there anything else you needed? Anywhere you wanted to go- oh, right. Didn't you want to stop at your place?" She pondered a moment, biting her lip in thought. He stared intently, watching her cute expressions as she thought about it.

"Might be too dangerous. If you're right about them knowing where I live…" she frowned, looking away. He rubbed his forehead, unsure.

"Probably. Not really worth it." She stared at the ground, her face scrunched with worry. "What did you need anyway? I don't mind you using my helmet. I'm not getting us killed, much to your disbelief," he gave a small grin at his words until he saw her not react, her eyes still downcast. "Levy?"

"I feel like they are still controlling me…" She brought her arm up to rub her other one, her eyes still staring at the ground.

"I'll never let them touch you again."

"You can't always watch me…"

"The hell I can't," he snapped bitterly. She finally looked up at him, her eyes stern as she gave him a skeptical look.

"Let's be real, Gajeel. At some point, we'll both have to go back to work. I don't know about you but I can't afford to not work. My rent is bad enough with what I make. I'm going to be behind thanks to them." She spaced out, as though doing the calculations in her head. He walked up, grabbing her arm and breaking her trance.

"There you go in that brain of yours. Stop thinking of things like that-"

"I have to. This isn't a fairy tale. Things don't just work out!"

"Well then just don't think about them right now!" She flinched at his yelling, a startled expression on her face. He let her go, looking away. "Sorry…" He rubbed the back of his neck, unsure what to say. Red eyes darted up when he didn't see any movement beside him, seeing her dazed again. She was thinking again. He looked around, noticing people walking by and staring at them. He sucked his teeth in annoyance at them, giving them glares that caused them to speed their walking up. Turning his gaze back to the blue haired female, he noticed she was gripping her bag to the point her knuckles were turning white. "Oi…" he gently grabbed her wrist, his touch breaking her trance once more. "Please… don't think about that stuff right now…" She looked at his hand holding her, her body starting to tremble slightly.

_'Oh no, please. I don't want to cry anymore…'_ she scolded herself, squeezing her eyes shut.

"That's why." Brown orbs snapped open, meeting red. He stared at her intently, his gaze piercing through her. "Just… just let me take care of you… Please… you don't have to be strong." The wrist he held still gripped the bag as the other hand came up to cover her eyes, a small sob escaping her. He pulled her close, letting her bury his face in his chest.

"I don't want to cry anymore, Gajeel… when does it stop?" He patted her head, letting out a sigh.

"I really don't know," he murmured, "I wish I could tell you." He held her as she cried quietly, her shoulders shaking. _'It can stop when I kill that son of a bitch.'_ When he heard her slow down, he pulled back, placing his hand under her chin. "Why don't we get this home before it spoils." She nodded numbly, rubbing her eyes with her free hand. They walked over to his bike, an uncomfortable silence between them. "You ok," he asked as he handed her the helmet, swinging his leg over.

"Yeah, I feel better. Thank you." Her eyes came up to see him grinning.

"Told ya. Ya don't have to thank me. Now get your cute ass on here." She couldn't stop the laugh that erupted from her, not expecting him to talk like that. _'That's better.'_ He let out a chuckle as she attempted to steady the headgear before literally hopping up behind him. "Gihee, you're adorable." She tried saying something but it was muffled, earning another laugh as she curled her arms around him while he passed her the bags. "You good?" She nodded against his back, bracing as he took off towards home.

\---

Sunlight poured into the room, the heavy curtains drawn back for once as Kreem sulked in his chair, his fingers drumming on the armrest. His other arm propped up his head, his hand curled inward as his cheek rested upon it. His gaze was far off, occasionally focusing and glancing over to the now empty closet. He'd called in one of his small favors, having an associate clean it out thoroughly the moment his doll was taken. Luckily, he had many a person under his thumb, each owing him something for either money he donated or things he hid for them. He had too much dirt on others to worry about prison. Still, Redfox taking those pictures had been trouble for him, his wallet taking a heavy toll on cleanup. He scowled at nothing in particular, reaching over to the nearby table for his burner cell, he flipped through a few numbers until he reached his desired one, setting it on dial and pressing it to his ear. It rang twice before a deep voice greeted him, addressing him with respect.

"Any news?"

"He hasn't been to this establishment since. The people there are too familiar with my face so now I can't even get close," came the hushed reply. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought Jose was outside the Lamia Scale, regardless of what he just mentioned. "Are you perhaps in touch with any other information I could use?" Kreem continued drumming his fingers, his eyes darting to the open curtains.

"I might. Give me some time," he said, running a hand through his blonde locks, "I'll get back to you."

"As you wish." The call ended with a click, Kreem's fingers instantly searching for another number in his index. This call rang four times, the delay grinding at his nerves until he heard a slightly drowsy voice.

"What's going on?" No greeting, right to business.

"I have another job if you are interested. I can pay double what I did last."

"Look, I know we do business but if this is a killing job-"

"No, no. I have someone else for that. I need your stalking skills again. Since you know the targets so well… should be easy money for you." There was a slight pause along with some shuffling around before the reply came through.

"I'm listening."

\---

**Dun dun duuuuuuun~! Oh dear, things are certainly brewing.**

**Hope you are enjoying all the fluff~! I am certainly enjoying writing it ^ ^**

**Let me know in the comments**

**Find Fan art on Deviant Art and P atreon~!**


	18. Surprise guest

**Hello lovelies, how have you been? Miss hearing from you guys~! I always get such a thrill hearing and talking to you guys ^ ^ Had a little more from Archive so that was my push to updating**

**Thanks to my darling man for editing help**

\---

"I did not," Gajeel said as he opened the door to his condo, turning to take his boots off with the one open hand he had from carrying the two bags.

"You so did that on purpose! We could have died!" Levy exclaimed, exasperated that she even had to point this out to him. She let out a strangled gasp as he leaned down into her face, their noses nearly touching.

"That off-road route was no big deal. I take it all the time," he ruffled her hair as he leaned back, a deep chuckle escaping him. She reached up, attempting to fix her wild hair from his attack.

"Yeah well… you're gonna give me a heart attack at this rate!"

"Gihee, does that mean I can give ya mouth to mouth?" Flustered, she began pounding her fists on his chest, her face bright red as she squeezed her eyes shut.

"That's not what you do, you dummy!" He snickered, grasping at least one of her wrists to calm her down.

"Ok, ok. Take it easy, gihee." He let her go, moving into the kitchen and placing the bags down. As he pulled the items out, he glanced over his shoulder at her. "Go relax, shrimp." He opened the refrigerator, placing the cold items in their proper places. He closed it, jumping slightly at finding Levy standing behind the fridge door with her arms crossed, her body tilted so her hip was out. "Fuck, I didn't see you there. You don't show over the damn door," he mumbled while trying to stifle a laugh as he watched her face puff up. "What's wrong?"

"Other than you picking on me?"

"Yeah," he snickered.

"Why won't you let me help," she exclaimed. He laughed gently, grabbing her shoulders and spinning her to face the living room. Giving her a slight shove forward, he watched her glare over her shoulder until a firm spank on her tush had her yelping and jumping forward. "Gajeel!"

"Get your ass in there," he said, chuckling as she did as she was told. Getting back to the task at hand, Gajeel pulled out a small veggie tray usually for parties. It was really tiny, more for about four people. He grimaced at the sight of it, setting it aside as he put the rest of the food away. Grabbing a pair of water bottles, he scooped up the veggies and walked in, finding Levy curled on the couch. She had her arms crossed and was on the end farthest from him, her body turned away. Placing the items down on the coffee table, he sat on the couch, landing hard on purpose right beside her, hoping to earn a squeak. He noticed her biting her lip, no noise coming from her. "Are you really pouting about this?" he teased. She readjusted her body from the shift of his arrival, making herself comfortable again as she kept her head turned. A bit of nervousness tugged at her as she felt his arm cover the back of the couch behind her, his fingertips brushing her shoulder. He leaned forward, darting his tongue out to touch her shoulder, smirking at seeing her jolt up in alarm. Still her head was turned. "Hmm," he pondered aloud, eyeing her up. He didn't want to tickle her again. He felt that would be forced laughter that would disappear the second he let go.

_'Oh my God, what is he thinking!? Don't look, you'll give in!'_ she scolded herself. _'He's thinking something dangerous, I know it.'_ A gasp escaped her as she was suddenly dragged into his lap, still facing her original direction. She felt his left hand on her hip while the other returned to resting along the back of the couch.

"I've wanted to touch you here all morning," he said, rubbing her hip gently. "You think I'm teasing you? You have no idea." She went to ask him what he was talking about when she felt his bulge against her tush, her face on fire as words failed her.

"Oh…" was all she managed. They stayed in silence for a moment, Levy finally looking at him to see he was now avoiding eye contact. She giggled at seeing his face beat red.

"Oi… not funny…" he mumbled, still not looking at her. It was as though he was searching for what she was staring at earlier. Nevertheless, he smiled hearing her laugh. "Ya still mad?"

"I'm not mad… I just don't like that you won't let me do anything…"

"I just want to take care of ya," he replied. She stared down at her lap, feeling bad for being a pain to him.

"You've done so much."

"It'll never be enough," he blurted, finally looking at her. Her eyes darted up to meet his ruby gaze, seeing the emotion behind them for her. "Even before all this bullshit… Levy… I…" he paused, looking away a moment as if to gather his thoughts before looking back, "I can't stop thinking about you. You… you mean so much to me." His other arm came down, circling around her waist as she twisted slightly to face him. His gaze flickered down a moment before coming back up, his eyes going wide at what he saw. Her eyes seemed to have a happy shimmer to them, the brown orbs wide and practically showing stars. He felt his face heat up, taking a deep breath to calm his heart. "I love you…" Tears formed in her eyes as she leaned forward, gently pressing her lips to his, her hands resting on his chest.

"I love you too," she whispered as she pulled back. He moved his hand from her her hip to around her waist, tightening his grip as his other hand threaded through her hair, pulling her forward. His lips crashed against hers again, her body melting against his. A low whimper escaped her, her head spinning with the emotion and feelings he was giving her. As they parted, they gasped for air with Gajeel leaning forward to plant kisses along her neck. She moaned as he bit into her throat, his tongue licking at the bite after. His right hand snaked under her shirt and bra, grabbing her left nipple and teasing it between his thumb and index fingers. Her gasp had him grinning devilishly. "G-Gajeel…"

"Hmm?" He watched her eyes flutter, her mouth gaping as she tried breathing. His teasing was making that difficult. Not liking the bra being tight, he pulled both that and her shirt up, her breasts bouncing free. A startled gasp was his reward as she clutched at his shirt. She was now practically leaning back as though she were in a lawn chair, his arm along her back for support while the other continued playing with her nipples. "You wanted to say something?" Before she could muster an answer he leaned forward and clamped his mouth on her breast, flicking the taut nipple. Levy's chest heaved as he continued playing with her, his tongue enjoying the taste of her skin. He pulled away from her with a contented sigh. "Did you say something?"

"I… um…" He chuckled, admiring his work. Her eyes kept fluttering while where he bit began to show slight reddening. Her ragged breathing kept moving the hair that was in her face about, her hair tousled and out of place. "I…"

"Yes?" he purred, enjoying the show in his lap. Her eyes glided over to him, her expression dazed. A sudden knock on the door had them both jumping, a small gasp escaping Levy. She instantly began fixing her clothing, her face bright red. Gajeel, on the other hand, was glaring at his front door. He sucked his teeth as he gently pushed her off his lap, inching near the door quietly. The female on his couch gave him a puzzling look, watching him growl in frustration until he grabbed an umbrella from the closet. "Who is it?" he called, his body alongside the door.

"Special delivery for Mr. Redfox!" It wasn't until Levy named the voice that he relaxed,

"Cana?" At hearing that, he let out a deep sigh, running a hand through his hair.

"You know… you really shouldn't do shit like that," he grumbled as he opened the door to glare at her, "when I'm trying to protect her." Cana gave him a pout, her hands finding their way to her hips. She was wearing a dark green halter top with midnight blue khakis, low cut to show a bit of her hips, black heeled sandals on her feet. A long strapped tan purse was over her shoulder while a large paper bag was in her grasp. "Don't look at me like that, I was about to clock you." Her lavender eyes moved down, barely visible under dark sunglasses, to spy the umbrella, a grin forming on her face.

"I think I would have made it," she concluded, watching him roll his eyes. This was exactly why he was angry before opening the door, sorely missing his M1911.

"Can I help you?" he muttered, leaning against the door jamb. Without another word, she waltzed in, brushing by him. "Did I say come in?" From the couch, he heard Levy give a small giggle. Cana glanced around, her face showing she was unimpressed with his place.

"Not much to look at here," she said with slight distaste.

"Again, didn't ask you to come in," he replied, closing the door and leaning the umbrella against the wall. Cana adjusted her sunglasses on her head, glancing over at Levy.

"Hmm," she stared at the poor girl, noticing her trying to hide behind a couch pillow. "So what were you doing before I showed?" She turned slightly, giving Gajeel a feral grin. "Were you being a naughty, naughty boy?"

"Excuse me?" He blinked at her, wondering what exactly it was she noticed to ask such a thing. Other than Levy being shy, he didn't see anything in particular.

"Now, now you can't hide this stuff from me. I've got a nose for it," she cooed, "besides, I don't buy any of that crap you told me on the phone." At that, she saw him pale, his face slowly turning red. She placed the bag and her purse on the coffee table, walking up beside him. Before he could react, the brunette had her arm around his neck, tugging him close. Her heels gave her a chance at being a little more level with him. Now that she was close, he could catch a whiff of whatever it was she had been drinking prior to her visit.

"Once a drunk, always one," he mumbled, attempting to free himself.

"Oh, don't you worry your sexy head. I can think clearer than both of you right now!" She glanced over at Levy, seeing her coming out from behind the pillow. "Now if you want to see what my magic powers of observation see," she began, pointing at Levy, "other than the obvious disheveled look which could have passed for being asleep…" He glanced over at Levy, still not sure what she was seeing.

"Woman, you are killing me here. Let go," he growled.

"My, my you monster. Look how red her neck is," she said. Upon fully letting the pillow fall away, Levy noticed that Cana's smile fell away, a look of concern coming over her. "Baby girl, what happened?" She let go of the man beside her, rushing to sit next to Levy. The blue haired female tilted her head in confusion until the brunette was grabbing her wrists. She mouthed an 'oh' while looking away ashamed. "Levy! What is this? You didn't have this at the hospital!" She turned on Gajeel, "You! Was this you?"

"What!?"

"No!" Levy screamed, startling her friend. "I did it to myself. Gajeel would never do anything to hurt me!" She looked down, her brow knitted in sorrow, "I was scrubbing too hard in the bath. If anything, Gajeel stopped me…" Cana raised a thin eyebrow, noticing something else.

"Oooh? So he saw you naked, did he?" Levy's head shot up, her face completely red in seconds, the blush coming up to her ears. She glanced over Levy's wrists a second, a wicked grin coming over her. "I guess you're right. Handcuffs wouldn't leave a mark like that."

"C-Cana!" The blush had easily creeped down her neck and over her shoulders now, her head down on an attempt to hide her face. Gajeel was merely floored, his eyes wide and blinking slowly at the changes in mood. One minute she was yelling, the next embarrassing them to the point where Levy looked like she wanted to hide forever.

_'How… how does she keep up with this broad?'_ He watched as Cana threw her head back and laughed. _'Complete opposites…'_ The brunette leaned forward, grabbing the bag she'd brought. She pulled out a bottle of red wine, grinning. "Uh what's that for?"

"Thought you guys would like something to unwind with," she replied simply, placing it on the table while crumpling the bag.

"Cana, you know I don't drink…" came Levy's mumble, still trying to hide.

"Live a little! You deserve it!"

"No, I'm fine."

"You're too uptight. You need to let loose," the brunette snickered, leaning back against the couch. She gave a half lidded, sly grin to the male still standing near the door, "unless you've found other ways?" A low growl vibrated from him as he stalked up, glaring down at her.

"You really have no filter, do you?"

"Nope!" she said with a laugh, grasping her purse and taking out a flask. His eyes darted to the clock beneath the TV, looking at her with bewilderment.

"It's barely 1 o'clock!"

"Ah, don't be a quitter," she murmured, taking a swig. Gajeel stared at her in disbelief, shaking his head as if to clear it while rubbing his hand over his face.

"H-how did you even find my place? I didn't give you an address." Taking another sip, she closed the flask, plopping it down on the seat beside her.

"Easy, Lyon gave it to me." She could almost see him planning a swift death for his boss, his hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose. She was too much for him. Too loud, too obnoxious. He opened an eye, spying Levy with the couch pillow again, practically just sitting on the sidelines of his verbal battle with the brunette. "So enough side tracking; what was really going on when I called? Why are you evil," She pointed at Gajeel, recalling Levy saying such, "and how's your toe, big boy?" she finished with a wink. She was thoroughly enjoying how utterly shell shocked she was making them, having a pretty good idea what could have happened. The real thing she wanted to know was: how far did it go? She gave the blue haired girl a sideways glance, figuring she was out for the count. The crude sexual comments having taken their toll on her much to her amusement. Her eyes landed back on the male before her, enjoying this as revenge for all the times he'd cut her off at the club. To show she was still waiting, she crossed her legs slowly, leaning back with her arm along the couch.

"How can you say stuff like that with a straight face?"

"What do you mean?" she grinned, feeling she caught him red handed,"I only asked about your toe. Why would I need a straight face for that?"

"Uh…," he realized his mistake, his eyes darting away. Another laugh escaped the brunette as she slapped her leg.

"You make this too easy, Redfox! Didn't expect you to be the blushing virgin!" He snapped his head back at her, his eyes blazing. She stood up, resting her fingertips against his chest, "Calm down, big man, I'll stop now." He growled at her, tempted to smack her away. Levy peeked from behind the pillow, seeing that Gajeel was bright red. Cana leaned towards him, whispering something that had him twitching. "Got it?"

"I don't need to answer to you," came his heated reply. She raised an eyebrow at him, leaning towards him. She brought her index finger up, poking the studs in his chin.

"Wanna bet?" she countered with a smirk. She then looped her arm around his, glancing at Levy from over her shoulder. "You stay right there, sweetie! I promise I won't break him."

"The fuck is wrong with you," Gajeel inquired before being dragged towards his bedroom. "What are you-?"

"Oh calm yourself. Who knew you were so easily rattled," she mused.

"Have you listened to yourself at all?! Anyone would be flustered," he snapped back, feeling her let him go and shove him inside. "Dare I ask what this is about?" He turned to watch her close the door, her face absolutely serious now.

"Whatever you do, don't start yelling. Listen, I didn't want Levy hearing this. I know it will upset her," Cana whispered. "They let Kreem out on bail." She saw him go wide eyed, her body lunging forward to cover his mouth. "Shhh!" He grabbed her hand and tossed it aside, walking away from her towards his dresser.

"I knew this would happen… What else? How did he explain the body?"

"It was gone."

"What!?" he hissed, turning away from her. "That… how!?" He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, glaring at his reflection. Things had happened too fast for Kreem to have been able to do something like dispose a body. His eyes darted to the door, "You and I both know she's listening…" He felt a nervous flop in his stomach as Cana grinned wildly. "What are you-?"

"Oh my, Gajeel! You're such an animal!" she screamed, hearing a thud. He let out a sigh while shaking his head, looking down.

"Did you hit your head as a child?" he asked blankly while pinching the bridge of his nose. She gave a nonchalant shrug, her expression as if she had done something completely normal.

"Probably," she said simply, walking over and opening the door. "Sweetie, it's not nice to eavesdrop." She watched as the blue haired girl climbed to her feet, her face bright red and angry.

"What the hell, Cana!?" he heard Levy screech.

"Oh, the both of you. So stressed. Now I know you didn't do it," the brunette said before crossing her arms gently. "I told you to wait." Levy glared at her, her expression showing she was rather hurt by the whole thing.

"Why? What are you talking about behind my back?"

_'So she didn't hear us… That's good,'_ Gajeel thought as he watched Cana hug her.

"Oh, sweetie, I was just giving him tips on sex," she replied easily while pulling back from her, "If you wanna listen in, that's just gonna ruin the surprise!" The raven haired male groaned in disgust, knowing it was probably best to keep it that way.

"Cana!" she shouted, becoming tired of all the sexual jokes. She knew damn well they were talking about Kreem, about what specifically, she didn't know. "Stop lying to me!" She looked at Gajeel for answers but he was already looking away. His silence had her paling, her hazel eyes slowly moving back to the brunette.

"You sure you don't want advice?"

"Y-you're serious!?"

_'It's not lying if I don't say anything…'_ he thought to himself, keeping his head turned while Cana helped escort his blue fairy out.

"I guess I'll have to share another time, Redfox."

"I don't need anything from you," he countered, walking by them both and back to the living room. Cana gave his retreating form a soft smile, thankful for him going along with her ruse. She squeezed Levy again, hearing her squeak in alarm.

"Alright, now you enjoy that wine. I'll be sure to check on you again soon," the brunette said as she pulled back, "You are looking so much better," she added as she walked down the hall, grabbing her flask from the couch and popping it open. Another swig had them both shaking their heads at her, "Ah that hit the spot! Alright, cuties, I'll call later." She grabbed her purse and placed her sunglasses back over her eyes. Giving a mock salute, she twisted towards the door with the male right on her tail, happy to be rid of her. "We'll talk," she whispered before leaning over his shoulder, "Rest up, Levy!"

"Yeah, yeah, bye," he snapped, shutting the door and leaning his back against it. He rolled his head back, taking a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "My God, that woman is too much. How do you put up with her?" The silence he received had him looking down to find Levy sitting on the couch, her hands clenched together and her gaze distant. Pushing off the door, he walked up, sitting beside her. "You ok?"

"Is that what you were really talking about?" She watched him flinch, his eyes darting away. "I knew it wasn't." His eyes came back as he felt her grasp his hand. "I know you guys mean well but-" A sharp knock startled them both until a voice cut through.

"Redfox! I think I forgot something!"

"You have _got_ to be kidding me!" He lazily dragged himself to his feet, giving a blank stare as he opened the door again. The brunette was smiling cheerfully, her keys in her hand. Levy peeked out from behind him, refusing to be left out of whatever they might signal to each other to keep her out. This only seemed to widen Cana's smirk as she threw something at the male. Not expecting it but still catching it, he blinked in surprise until he glanced into his hand to find a strip of foiled packages. Once again, she'd managed to take him off guard as his face flushed and he threw them back at her. "The fuck is wrong with you!?" Cana snickered as she unfolded the strip, watching Levy's face turn red as well.

"Just thought you would want to be prepared!" She gave a grin, narrowing her eyes, "I guess this means you're all set then if you're giving them back." He closed his eyes, growling low while making a fist. Taking the chance, Cana bolted away in time for him to explode, his fangs baring as he screamed at her,

"Get the fuck outta here!" The dreadful mood from before was completely broken as Levy began laughing, her hand coming over her mouth to suppress it as much as she could. She wouldn't tell him, but seeing him flustered was really entertaining. Levy watched from the door as Gajeel practically chased the brunette to her car, a small smile on her lips.

"You be gentle with my princess!"

"Just leave!" She let out a cackle as she drove off, a quick double tap on her horn sounding as she disappeared. Gajeel pulled his phone out from his pocket, pressing three buttons and pressing it to his ear. After about four rings, the person answered, "I'm going to kill you."

"Ah, I see Cana was there," came the blunt reply. He stormed back towards the condo where Levy waited. "Sorry, I was sure it would be ok…"

"Well it wasn't!"

"You sound out of breath…"

"Lyon, I swear…" he growled, looking over to see Levy giggling. "You're not helpin' at all…" he muttered to the blue haired female. He made a face as she began laughing harder. A small smile broke out across his features.

"She sounds like she's ok," Lyon commented on the phone. For a split second, she made him forget it was still talking to his boss. He blinked a bit before bringing it fully back to his ear.

"Yeah, I'm takin' care of her. How are things on your end?"

"Quiet here. He's not shown since. I'm hoping that's a good thing and that you're just paranoid." He motioned for Levy to go back in, his expression stern the moment she turned away from him.

"I wish I was just imagining things…"

\---

**Man oh man, Cana is hella fun to write. She's so free-spirited and laid back. Her 'doesn't care' personality gives a bit of liberation that others don't have. I had so much fun writing this part. At the same time, though, she cares so deeply for her friends/family, that its easy to make a sort of entertaining banter as though siblings.**

**In case no one catches it, 'You be gentle with my princess' is from Rboz's comic where Cana is asking Levy lewd questions to her while she is reading and the poor blue haired girl is so focused on her book she replies without thinking. I love it so much and Gajeel's reaction in it is absolutely adorable. Be sure to check for it if you haven't seen it before.**

**As usual, looking forward to hearing from you guys. Its my push to keep going and brings light into my life.**

**Fan art for this story and my other Gajevy story 'Embrace of the Sands' can be found on Deviant Art and P atreon. Be sure to check them out.**

**Many hugs~!**


	19. Schemes and Sweets

**Hello cuties, how have you been? Miss you guys very much.**

\---

Bora paced in the foyer, his black cloak swishing back and forth as he moved in the low lighting. He'd already been there thirty minutes, only having been let in and informed to wait. He knew better than to question things, doing as he was told and being bored out of his skull for it. He glanced at his burner cell for the time, the digital readout showing 3:37 pm. The doors at the top of the stairs opened, causing him to jump slightly and tuck the phone away. Kreem walked down the stairs, his face showing he was very upset. He wasn't really up to speed on anything that had happened, only that someone had clearly pissed the blonde off. Not wanting to be part of his wrath, Bora remained still, his mask hiding his nervousness. As the blonde lord touched the main floor, he gave a small bow.

"I don't know if you are aware of things yet." Bora straightened, keeping quiet while the man spoke, the words coming out like venom, "but it seems you were right to worry about Redfox. He has stolen from me. I need you to find out where he lives and what has become of my lovely." The blue haired male remained quiet, knowing there was more for the lord to shout about. Kreem threw his hands in the air, pacing, "Comes in here and threatens me. Takes what's mine! And they look at me to blame! This has cost me a fortune!"

 _'That happens when you are a lunatic with a strange habit,'_ Bora mused to himself. He'd never dare to speak such things out loud, knowing it would have a heavy cost. He'd learned long ago that Kreem was either happy, bored, or out for blood. There was many a time he wished the money wasn't as good as it was so he could take his talents elsewhere. If it weren't for the blonde bringing him back from near death he'd have nothing to do with him. Many times he wondered how his life would have been if he'd not crossed paths with Kreem. _'You might have been dead.'_ he answered himself, watching as the man before him continued to pace in a blind rage. He knew that as long as Kreem was around, he would be doing this sort of thing for as long as he was useful. He recalled in the beginning when he'd started how the guilt would eat at him. Unfortunately, money wasn't the only thing keeping him there. Kreem had too much on him to let him go free, knowing he could have him locked up the rest of his life. So here he was, doing his dirty work to fulfill his needs. The last girl he'd gotten had been completely different from Levy. She was much stronger and didn't enjoy being controlled in the slightest. She had been difficult to capture but it was what Kreem had wanted. Sadly, she had been so defiant that Kreem had gone too far and killed her in a blind rage. Bora was surprised to get a call for another job so quickly.

"Are you listening?" came the harsh question. Bora refocused to find the blonde glaring daggers at him, his pupils dilated.

"F-forgive me," he blurted, bowing his head and keeping it there. Kreem began tapping his foot wildly, his arms crossed over his chest.

"I want to know everything and I want it as soon as possible. I want him here, begging me to kill him for what he's done. He's insulted me and I won't have it!" Bora was thankful for his mask to hide his terror as he watched Kreem laugh maniacally while throwing his head back.

_'Suddenly, I feel really bad for Redfox…'_

\---

The afternoon was quiet after Cana's departure, the pair relaxing while Levy munched on the veggie tray that he'd left out for her. Currently, they were in his bedroom with Gajeel laying on his stomach while looking over the book she'd had earlier, his face scrunching now and then from reading something he didn't like. Levy was beside him with the veggies on the nightstand for her to nibble on. He'd declined any she offered, telling her that was her rabbit food and he was relying on her eating it so he wouldn't have to. She was armed with a brush, a handful of his raven locks in her hand as she groomed him. He had been iffy at first when she'd asked to do it, never having anyone else touch his hair like that. The amount of joy she'd displayed when he'd said yes made him sorry he didn't let her do it sooner. He felt her lean towards him, his body moving a bit from the bed depressing under her.

"Gajeel?"

"Hm?"

"C-could you sit up? I'm done with the ends and I think it would be better if you were sitting." He glanced at her over his left shoulder, his silence making her a tad nervous until he rolled the other direction onto his back. She blinked at him, waiting patiently for him to get up.

"Gonna say please?" She pouted, twirling the brush in her hand. He leaned over on his side, propping his head up with his arm.

"Pretty please?"

 _'So cute,'_ he thought, his face tinging pink. He watched her a moment longer before getting up. "Where do ya want me?"

"W-wherever is comfortable for you is fine." He moved to the edge of the bed near the front, sitting with his legs going over the side. He stared into the mirror, watching her crawl towards him. "Thank you." He grunted a response, opening the book again. He really didn't have anything else to do while sitting there and touching his phone was making him angry after shouting at Lyon earlier. He felt her still brushing near the bottom, making sure there weren't any tangles before going higher. It was a relaxing feeling to have her take care of his hair, his eyelids sliding closed before he even realized he was doing it. The thud of the book hitting the floor caused them both to jump, with him mumbling an apology as she giggled. "Not used to this?"

"No," he whispered. She paused, looking at him over his shoulder.

"No one ever did this for you?"

"Like who," he inquired, watching her fidget around behind him.

"Well… I don't know… I mean…"

"I didn't know my mother and my father disappeared. I didn't have a lot of friends at the orphanage," he replied. She glanced in the mirror a moment, seeing him think, "There was this one kid named Mash." She stared at him through the reflective glass, a look of hopefulness in her eyes at him recalling a memory.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah but turns out he didn't like me at all. He told me he was jealous and just wanted to know if there was something he could use against me…"

"T-that's horrible," she whispered. Putting the brush down, she hugged him, burying her face into his hair and neck.

"Ah, fuck 'em, I don't need 'em," he grumbled, looking away. He felt her tighten her hold on him, causing him to look at her.

"You must have been so lonely…" she whispered in his ear. "I've at least had Lucy and Cana. Though I had a few friends from the orphanage. There were these two boys who always followed me around but I never really paid them any mind." A small squeak escaped her as he reached back and grabbed her, pulling her so that she was in his lap.

"No matter what happened in the past, that's over. I'll never be lonely again," he said, his eyes boring right into hers. Pulling her closer, his lips glided across her, a small moan escaping her. "So boys following you around, hm?" She narrowed her eyes, raising an eyebrow.

"Really? I was like… eight."

"Don't care, you're mine!" he said with a mock growl as he leaned in to nibble at her neck. She giggled at his assault, squirming in his grasp. "No one takes what's mine."

"You're like a dragon!" He pulled back, blinking at her curiously.

"Is this another one of your story things?" She gasped for breath, the excitement and tickling having robbed her of it.

"Sorta," she giggled. He gave a nonchalant shrug.

"Been called worse."

"Gajeeeeel," she whined, squirming again. "I'm serious." She leaned up, poking his cheek, "You have an intimidating stare, you growl a lot, and," she pulled his lip up a bit, "you have fangs!"

"You make me sound like some kinda monster," he mumbled, pulling her hand away from his mouth. She pouted, looking down. A soft 'Gihee' had her looking up to find him grinning at her, "I kinda like it." He leaned forward again, continuing his attack on her neck. She squeaked and attempted to free herself, feeling his arms trapping her against him. "I'm hungry, should I eat you then?" He watched her freeze, her eyes wide as she had her arms against her chest. Taking advantage of her dazed state, he leaned in again, stealing her lips in a kiss and feeling her melt. As he pulled back, he was greeted with her dazed expression, his heart fluttering at how adorable she was. Unable to stop himself, he leaned forward, licking her throat. He felt her jump in his arms, her breath becoming frantic. A sly grin crossed his features as he watched goosebumps form along the side he licked. She looked like she was going to pass out. Deciding it best to calm her, he pulled her to sit beside him. "Seriously, though, I'm starved. Should we go cook?" Levy seemed to come back to reality, her eyes fluttering as she finally focused on him.

"Oh, yeah, we can do that." He climbed to his feet, pulling her up with him. He ran a hand through his hair, pausing a moment.

"Oi, you did nice. My hair feels great," he said, giving her a fanged smile, "You should do this for me more often." He watched her blush, playing with her bangs as she looked away, clearly flustered at the compliment as well as the invite to do it again. "Gihee, come on." They moved their way into the kitchen, pulling out the ingredients they acquired from the shopping center earlier. "So, ya gonna cook for me?" She glanced at him as he sat down at the small table, leaning his head in his hands.

"I can if that's what you are asking," she said with a shy smile. "I can cook enough where you won't die, I suppose." She paused while grabbing the rice from the pantry, "I only ever cooked for myself." She turned towards him, a gentle smile on her face. "So let me know what you think!" He smiled, pointing out to her where she could find his cookware and watching her start lighting up the stove. It wasn't long before the smell of chicken and spices filled his condo with Gajeel practically wiping drool from his chin.

"Well, if it's anything like it smells, then I'm ready!" She blinked heavily, looking over at him. A deep blush rose to her cheeks, turning back to check the grilled chicken.

"You're humoring me," she murmured. The sound of a chair scraping along the floor had Levy jumping, turning to see him look over at what she was doing. As she turned back, he leaned in, suckling on her neck. He grabbed her wrist at the same time to prevent her from getting any splatter. "G-Gajeel!" Forcing her to let go, he pulled her back, attacking her throat some more.

"I can't help it. You're making me so hungry," he mumbled against her skin. A slight shiver passed through her, her breath quickening.

"I'm not for dinner," she whispered, melting at his little attack. She could feel him smirking, knowing he had a cocky grin on his features.

"What about dessert?" He heard her squeak, looking down to see her entire face absolutely red. The sound of sizzling drew them back to the stove as she jumped up and made sure nothing burned. "Gihee, want me to get the plates?" She nodded numbly, her expression fixed in one that was flustered and unsure what to say. He loved it. The ability to render her speechless was something he was coming to enjoy thoroughly. Placing the plates on the counter for her, he moved to gather cutlery and glasses. Upon lowering the heat on the stove, Levy glanced over her shoulder to find him standing close by with a fork in his mouth.

"You don't have to eat the silverware, you know," she replied with a giggle. Grabbing a plate, she began portioning off the food before handing it to him to place on the table. "I would like to think my cooking is a little better than that." She smiled sweetly, tilting her head to the side. He blinked a bit, his eyes shifting to the metal fork.

"Just a habit I have, gihee," he flashed her a grin, his fangs showing. Shaking her head, Levy began gathering items in the sink, turning on the water to let them soak. "Don't worry about that, shrimp. I'll get it after."

"But-" A finger found its way on her lips, silencing her and causing her to stare up at him with wide eyes.

"Let's eat."

\---

**So time to fess up, I sorta have writer's block. I have thoughts on where I wanna go but getting to that point seems a little bumpy. Plus with work being hectic and lack of talking to anyone (well except Musicera) I have been rather deflated and uninspired. I don't like it. Doesn't make me feel good.**

**In other news, against my liking but to try it out: started a Tumblr (name being Hotaru Shidosha, of course)**

**Be sure to look there, DeviantART and P atreon for more fan arts**

**Looking forward to hearing from you~!**


	20. Afternoon Tea

**Hello lovelies~! I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long. Between work and life, things were pretty crazy. My writer's block lifted a little but work was causing a lot of it it seemed. Things have lessened. Hopefully, my mind clears up :D Thanks to all who talked to me, I really enjoy the chatting and you were my sparks to keep going. ^ ^**

**Without further ado, I bring chapter 20. Oh my goodness, are we up to this high already?**

**I will admit, I edited this one myself as I didn't give this to my darling to read yet since I was so scatterbrained. Hope it's ok with the editing xD**  
\---

The 8 island diner was quiet save for a handful of patrons sipping on coffee or coming in for a late meal. Natsu leaned back in the booth seat, his fingers playing around with a napkin as he spaced out. A large bowl of soup was placed before him, his green eyes coming up to find Lisanna giving him a reassuring smile.

"I didn't order this," he mumbled, eyeing the tomato basil soup regardless. He didn't realize how hungry he was until he began smelling it.

"Just eat, you dork," she said, sliding in the seat across from him. "What has you in a mood?" She watched him as he stared at the food before leaning forward and beginning to devour it, seeing him acting normal again. She chuckled, the noise causing him to pause and look up at her.

"I was thinking," he finally said, grabbing the napkin from before to wipe his mouth. Lisanna gave a mocked look of surprise, her hand coming over her mouth.

"Oh boy, we're in trouble now," she teased, watching him pout.

"Very funny…"

"I thought so," came the reply, a wide smile on her face. If it was anyone else, Natsu would have leapt over the table, especially if it was Gray. However, Lisanna had been his oldest friend for as long as he could remember and was used to this sort of retort. "So, what's bothering you?" Putting the spoon down, Natsu glanced out into the dining area, his eyes glazing over again.

"Been thinking about Gajeel…" The white haired female leaned back, her eyes wide at the unexpected answer. "I want to help… he's one of us. I don't want him doing this alone." Natsu flinched at feeling a hand on his head as Lisanna patted him, a soft smile on her face.

"Always wanting to help your friends. That's so like you, Natsu." He glared down at his soup, his brows down low in thought. "Well, you can always go talk to him."

"Dunno where he lives…"

"Maybe my siblings do."

"Elfman doesn't know either and Lyon won't tell me. Says I'll do more harm than good," he puffed, crossing his arms. She chuckled, internally agreeing but wanting to give him his chance.

"Well, why not ask my sister? He goes to the cafe she works at quite a bit." The pink haired male raised his head, an expression of confusion crossing his face.

"What cafe?"

"It's by the waterfront. Called The Water Lily. Very small place, he likes to go play there." At the main counter, a patron tossed some money beside his coffee, walking out. Natsu raised an eyebrow, giving Lisanna a strange look.

"What do you mean play?"

"His guitar, dummy," she scolded. She leaned forward, tapping his head with her knuckles as if it were the silliest question ever. It didn't hurt but the contact made him wince slightly all the same, not expecting it from her. There were so many times she made him feel like they were siblings, always scolding or giving him advice. He thought for a moment, staring down at the remainder of his meal.

"Yeah, I guess I could try there. Better than nothing I suppose."

"You sure, you're ok? You aren't usually like this." He glanced up at her, finding her settled back in her seat while resting her head in her hand. At the mention of her name, Lisanna saw her boss give her a frown, causing the white haired girl to respond with a nervous wave. "Listen, Natsu, just do what you feel is right. That's always how you've been. Chin up." He watched her get up and walk behind the counter, getting a light scolding before she disappeared into the kitchen. The pink haired male leaned in his elbow, pondering a bit more before finally finishing the soup.

\---

A loud ringing stirred Gajeel from his deep sleep, the large male grasping around his nightstand for his cell phone. He managed to find it via touch, bringing the lit screen close to his face as he squinted to read it. A strange number was displayed on the face of the phone, bringing a grumble from the raven haired male as he answered it.

"Hello, Mr Redfox. This is Inspector Riverside," came the calming voice. Gajeel raised a studded brow, his mind searching through all the sleepiness for where the name should go. "We met at the hospital." Just like that, the male was up, running a hand through his disheveled hair. It was the partner that was asking questions when they were getting ready to leave. At least it was the nicer one. The shorter guy seemed off and threw a whole bunch of red flags up for the bouncer. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Levy toss and turn, the cold of him moving making her shiver. He stole a quick glance at his clock, seeing the burning red numbers show 11:27 am. "I was hoping we could have a chance to talk to Ms. McGarden again. We needed to follow up on some of the information we gathered."

"Even though that asshole is free," Gajeel bit out before he could stop himself. There was a noticeable pause before he continued.

"We're actually looking into similar cases to Ms. McGarden's that may have involved him. Her input would be greatly appreciated. His court date has been set for one week from now so we're gathering as much as we can." Gajeel stared out at his wall, his brain putting things together as best he could through the haze of waking up. "I can tell by your tone of voice this isn't a good time. If you can, drop by the station anytime after 3pm."

"Uh, sure. I'll talk to her. Thanks." Gajeel clicked his cell off, placing it down on the nightstand before turning back to hug Levy again. Instantly, she calmed, her body relaxing at the return of his presence.

"Who was that?" came the muffled question. He frowned, hoping she wasn't awake for that.

"One of those cops. They wanna talk." He heard her sigh as she pulled away, leaning up and hopping off the bed. He smiled at her crazy hair, her sleepy appearance looking absolutely adorable to him. She rubbed her head as she turned to face him, her expression showing she was unhappy.

"I guess this dream is over," she whispered, looking towards the dresser. She tugged at the bottom of her tank top, her brows knitted in sorrow.

"What do ya mean?"

"This is what I was talking about, Gajeel. We can't ignore that things have to go back to what they were." He leaned up, moving towards her side and reaching for her arm. "I'm scared. What if I always feel this way from now on? I don't feel safe anymore…"

"We just have to take things one step at a time. This was a big deal, something you can't just get over in a few days," he murmured, bringing his hand up to play with her wild stands. She let out a soft sigh, closing her eyes and leaning into his touch. "Besides," he started, watching her look at him, "I'm not going anywhere." She smiled, grabbing his hand and holding it against her cheek.

"That's true," she murmured, enjoying his touch. He enjoyed watching her, the calm expression on her face as she nuzzled his palm.

\---

A lean man with unruly pink hair and a half unbuttoned shirt entered the building, his right hand clutching a small paper while his left was jammed into the pocket of his dark slacks. Natsu glanced around the library a minute, his face scrunched in uncertainty as he slammed the parchment into his pocket. He'd followed Mira's directions, happy to finally get any sort of real information on his quest. He wasn't sure what he was expecting upon arriving.

"Oi, metal head, you here!?" Every single person turned in his direction, half in shock while the rest expressed anger on their faces. A blonde woman raced up towards him, her heeled boots clicking quietly against the linoleum floor. She wore black slacks with a dark pink, long sleeved button down shirt with heart shaped earrings dangling from her lobes. Her chocolate brown eyes began boring a hole into him as she scolded him for shouting.

"This is a library. What is wrong with you," she hissed, trying to express herself without causing too much noise. "Is there something I can help you with?!" Natsu snapped from his daze, his eyes meeting hers as she continued to glare at him. She glanced over her shoulder at the other woman behind the desk, telling her she would be right back. Before he could register what was happening, he was being guided outside by his arm, the blonde dragging him along. "So do you make it a habit of causing trouble the second you appear somewhere?"

"What?"

"Oh boy," she let out a long sigh, her hand moving to her forehead in defeat. "What are you looking for?" He peered at her innocently, as though he wasn't aware of any of the trouble he was causing.

"I thought maybe Gajeel would be here. This is where Levy works, right?" Natsu watched as the woman stared at him with wide eyes.

"W-who… who are you?" The pink haired man beamed openly, a wide toothy grin forming on his face as he stuck his hand out.

"Name's Natsu! Natsu Dragneel!" His overly friendly attitude caught her off guard, causing her to thrust her own hand out to receive his in shock.

"I'm Lucy Hea- Lucy!" He gave her a curious look.

"Lucy Lucy? What a strange name…" She could almost see a tear forming in his eye, his urge to laugh lingering on his lips. She glared at him, her hands on the curve of her hips as she stared at him incredulously. This guy literally just met her and was going to poke fun at her? He certainly was a strange one.

"It's just Lucy. So who are you to Gajeel? I haven't seen you before." His hidden laugh vanished as he straightened up, pulling out the slip of paper he was carrying.

"I work with him at Lamia Scale. I was trying to find him to give him a hand with anything but I don't know where he lives. Lisanna told me to ask her sister and Mirajane gave me the address to this place cuz she didn't know either. Though, I didn't even know about that cafe at all… I'll have to check it out another time." She watched him begin to mumble to himself, as though he were trying to get all his thoughts in order. He finally looked back at her, missing completely that she was looking at him like he was losing his mind. "So do you know where he lives?" She motioned to say something, her mouth hanging open a moment before closing it.

 _'What if this guy is lying just to help that creep? I should check with them and stall this guy if I can.'_ She pointed back towards the library behind her, watching him tilt his head in curiosity. "I don't know where but I should be able to to contact him about it. I get off of work around 5 o'clock so why don't you stop by then?" He pouted a little before smiling brightly and startling her once again with his forward personality.

"Ok, Lucy Lucy, I'll come by later then. Thanks!" Before she could correct him on her name again, he began walking away with his hands in his pockets. Blinking slowly, Lucy turned on her heel and retreated back in, finally letting out a long sigh once she was near the desk again.

"Lucy, what was that all about? Is he gone?" She peered up at her coworker, her expression blank as she went over the little encounter in her head once more.

"Yeah… yeah, he's gone. I don't think he's anyone to worry about," she replied, feeling that maybe she was being a little overprotective. Everything about Natsu seemed to feel free-spirited and genuine. He didn't seem the type to have some underlying plot or ploy. Even with how little she interacted with him, she just felt…. safe. She moved behind the main counter, fishing through her bag for her cell, immediately sending a message to Levy about the whole thing.

\---

Gajeel dragged the small woman to the side as they exited the police station, pulling her into a hug as she sucked in a breath. Being interviewed about the entire event had taken a great toll on Levy as she sobbed into his chest, the thoughts of what had happened and what she endured flashing through her mind. Gajeel was especially upset when he heard her speak about he had been so close to finding her even sooner when he had confronted Bora. His blood boiled, going through the 'what ifs' had he just stormed through the door like he had initially wanted to. As he growled to himself, he felt Levy wrap her arms around him, her body calming down at feeling him hold her. Feeling his arms around her, she began feeling as though everything was going to be alright. Like nothing else in the world was going to touch her. Also, given Gajeel's protective personality, she believed it. She wasn't looking at him but she knew he was probably scanning the area for anyone who even dared coming close to them. She inhaled deeply, steeling herself to face whatever came next. Her heart raced as the emotions tried once again to grab hold of her, almost winning when she played what had happened over in her head. To be in that enclosed room with the large glass window that she knew had other people watching her had been overwhelming. She now knew what it felt like to be an animal at the zoo, always being observed. She could only imagine what kind of legal army that Kreem had recruited to counter against her and her words. The nerve. To do this and defend himself like he was innocent. How many other girls died for his mental tick? Gajeel felt her shudder against him, leaning down to look into her face.

"You ok?" Another deep breath.

"As ok as I'm going to be I suppose…. Can we leave?" Turning her without a word, Gajeel guided her towards his bike, ignoring the looks that officers outside the station were giving them. A sudden digital chirp had the blue haired female fish her phone out her pocket, giving the message a curious look as she read it. At her tilting her head, Gajeel became interested in what was possibly written, leaning over her shoulder. "Isn't Natsu the guy who jumped on you?" The dark haired male jolted back in surprise, not expecting any mention of one of his coworkers, let alone him.

"Yeah, what about 'im?"

"Apparently, he visited the library asking Lucy about you," she murmured, looking over the long text. Gajeel raised a studded brow in confusion at that, his brain racking as to why this had even happened. A soft smile graced his lips as he noticed that Levy was also confused but distracted from how upset she had been. "She said he wants to talk to you or something. What should I tell her?" Her honey brown eyes darted up, a slight blush creeping across her face as she noticed him staring at her. "W-what?"

"Nothing." He motioned for them to start walking, being sure she followed him, "I'll call him later I suppose. Find out what that moron is up to."

"Lucy said he's going to be back later when she's off work."

"So I'll call soon," he murmured, lifting her up onto the bike. She let out a startled squeak, being so wrapped up in her phone that she was surprised at him grabbing her. "We have somewhere to be." He glanced at his phone a moment before sliding it back into his pocket. He settled into the seat, hearing her ask what was going on through his helmet. "Just hang on." She grabbed him around his torso, feeling the machine rumble to life before bolting forward.

The ride was short but, as always, felt like an eternity for Levy as she clung to the man before her in fear. Given she wasn't watching, every time they slowed for a light or a turn, she would sneak a peek only to squeeze her eyes shut again. She felt she would never get used to this. Though it wasn't all bad as she felt Gajeel's muscles through his shirt. As they seemed to stop for good, Levy remained frozen, holding him. A deep chuckle brought her back to reality.

"You can let go now," he said softly.

"Don't wanna."

"But Lily is waiting." She perked up, the helmet bouncing around.

"What?" Gajeel climbed off, pulling her off with him. He removed the helmet, giving her view of the apartment complex before them. "Where are we?"

"At a friend's place," he replied, grabbing her hand and dragging her along, "Come on." He moved towards the door, tapping his knuckles against the wood. Meanwhile, Levy glanced at the building, enjoying the little alcove the door was in, giving it any cover from the elements. Soft footsteps brought her back as she watched the door open, dark eyes and blue hair greeting them.

"Gajeel!" Juvia jumped up, wrapping her arms around his neck and causing him to release Levy to catch her weight. "I'm so happy to see you! I see everything is ok now. Juvia was so worried!" She pulled back as she spoke, her finger coming up to scold him. Her gaze moved behind him to see the other blue haired girl beside him. "Miss Levy!" She instantly pushed her friend aside to hug Levy tightly. "So good to see you safe. Please, come in. Juvia can make tea!" Before Levy could respond in any way, she was dragged in by the other female, leaving a stunned Gajeel in the doorway. Letting out a soft sigh, he smiled, walking in behind them. As he closed the door, he felt something against his leg, peering down to see a small creature.

"Heya, Lily," he said, scooping the feline up into his arms, "Been a good boy?"

"It has been so nice to have Lily around. Juvia gets so lonely since Gray darling doesn't visit," she called from the kitchen. Gajeel let out a small grumble as he walked into the doorway, watching her set up a kettle.

"You say that like he was once here before."

"Only once, when Juvia needed a ride home," she replied, grabbing some mugs from the cabinet. Juvia was always seeking the affections of the dark haired bouncer at their job, always lavishing whatever she could on him from simply helping him with small tasks to giving him little gifts. She was always met with a cold expression and seemingly ignored. Gajeel often felt she was like a little sister to him, being they had been at the same orphanage. So it was natural that he always found the urge to pummel the guy's face in. Sting assured him that Gray was playing up to his reputation of being a tough guy but Gajeel feared one day would finally be too much for the girl. He bided his time until then, complying to Juvia's begging that he not hurt Gray. "Gajeel doesn't need to worry. Juvia knows Gray is just shy."

"Yeah…. Shy…. Nothing to do with being an asshole and giving you a straight answer." He let the cat jump out of his arms, watching as the small creature practically dove at Juvia's ankles as she busied herself with collecting sugars, spoons, and milk. "Need any help?"

"Juvia has it. Go. Go sit, please," she said, walking by him to rummage her fridge. He shook his head, turning on his heel to move into the living room where he found Levy on the couch, her eyes wondering the room.

"This where she left you?" The smaller blue haired female giggled, nodding as he sat down beside her. He smiled gently as she moved closer, resting her hand on his that was on his thigh. A quick glance around the living room had him seeing an old picture of them as kids, standing in front of where they grew up with the other children and their caretaker. He brought his free hand through his hair, a long sigh escaping him. "Juvia and I grew up together," he murmured. Levy remained quiet, watching his eyes glaze over from the memories. "I can always count on her if I need any help. She was watching Lily while I was looking for you." At the thought, Levy looked away, a small frown on her face. Gajeel moved to say something until Juvia entered the room, a sheepish smile on her face.

"The water is on. Anything I can get for you? I have snacks!" Levy smiled gently towards her, moving a stand of her hair from her face. She moved over a bit, not wanting to make Juvia feel like she was intruding on something in her own living room.

"That's ok, Miss Juvia. Thank you for the offer." The taller female waved her hand dismissively.

"Please, just Juvia," she responded, sitting between them.

"Then just Levy," she countered, watching the other female ponder it a moment.

"Ok. So how are you doing? Juvia has been beside herself worried for both Levy and Gajeel," she turned towards the said male, "No one is dead, right?"

"Oi... "

"D-dead? What are you talking about?" Levy stammered, feeling the color from her face draining.

"Gajeel was most heated that you were missing."

"Juvia…" Levy's eyes darted between them as each one spoke.

"He was very angry and almost emitted a deadly aura. You can't hide these things from Juvia." She looped an arm around each of theirs, hugging gently. "But now you are safe. All is well." Levy peered around the other woman at him, frowning deeply at the fact that his friend almost expected something like that. Gajeel certainly gave off the impression that if you were to mess with him, you weren't going to make it out with all your limbs intact.

"Make me sound like a fuckin' monster…"

"Juvia just knows how Gajeel is. Juvia did try to stop you," she murmured, leaning her head against his arm. He clicked his teeth, looking away because he knew that she was right. A sudden slight pressure on his leg caused him to look down in time to see Lily let out a loud meow up at him. Letting out a chuckle, he pulled away from the woman, grabbing the ball of fuzz and placing him in his lap. At that moment, a loud whistle from the kitchen caused the taller woman to jump up, calling out that she would be right back over her shoulder. A sudden touch on his arm had his head snapping towards Levy, seeing her smile gently.

"I know you mean well. I don't think any less of you," she whispered before looping her arm around his and resting her head against him like Juvia had just done. "You saved me and that's all that matters… right?" He gave her a fanged smile, leaning his head against hers.

"Juvia has cream and sugar!" The pair pulled apart slowly as their friend returned with Lily jumping from Gajeel to Levy's lap. The smaller female began cooing at the creature, petting him behind the ears and listening to him purr loudly. Gajeel found himself staring at his cat, extremely jealous of the attention he was receiving. As his friend placed the tray down, he turned his attention towards her, helping with distributing the tea. They chatted the evening away, talking about incidents at the club and little things about growing up. The sun began bleeding away, escaping into the horizon for the day. A slight chime caught Levy's attention, her gaze landing on her phone on the coffee table. The other two watched as she turned towards Gajeel, a slight frown on her face.

"You forgot to call Natsu." A long groan escaped him, his hand coming up to rub his temples.

"Yeah… Yeah, I did."

\---

Lucy glanced up into the dark green eyes of the strange young man she had met earlier that afternoon, wondering what it was she was to do about him now. He rolled on his heels, his hands stuffed into his pockets as he watched her walk out of the library entrance, her bag over her arm as she placed her keys into it. He smiled wide, bringing his arm up to wave at her.

"Lucy Lucy!" She made a face, her brow twitching a bit as she walked up to him.

"Natsu, was it? I thought I told you it was just Lucy," she murmured, watching him continue to smile as though nothing was wrong.

"Ah yeah, sorry. So how was work?" She watched him a moment, hoping Levy would reply to her message soon. By any means, this was a stranger. She didn't know this guy and him merely saying he knew Gajeel didn't mean that he truly did. The pink haired male jolted as his phone blared from his pocket, his hand digging for it instantly. Yanking it out, he glanced at the screen, his face lighting up as he answered it.

"Excuse me a moment," he said as he turned away, "Gajeel! I have been looking for you!" Lucy let out a sigh of relief, feeling much more at ease as her phone buzzed with a message.

[Gajeel is calling him now.]

"Well that's a relief," she whispered, glancing between the text and Natsu as he continued to talk. From where she was, she could hear Gajeel's gruff voice through the speaker. Judging by Natsu's face, the other make was not being kind to him.

"The fuck you want, flame brain? Why you bothering Levy's friends?" The pink haired make spun on his heel, staring at the blonde with wide eyes.

"Am I bothering you?"

"What?! No, I just was being cautious. What is he saying?" Lucy felt her face heat up at being put in the spot. Natsu definitely seemed spontaneous and nothing appeared to hold him back.

"Oi, I'm talking to you…"

"I couldn't find your place so I was asking for information. I was wondering if you needed help with anything. Ever since you took off from work I've been wanting to lend a hand." Natsu heard nothing on the other end, raising a brow at the unusual silence. Meanwhile, Gajeel was staring at his phone curiously. He wasn't expecting anything like that from the pink haired male, nor did he expect him to be thinking about it this long. It felt like forever since he'd yelled at Natsu in front of the club, his mind thinking back at how livid he had been due to Levy's kidnapping. Letting out a deep sigh, he began talking again, turning his back away from Levy and Juvia. A broad smile broke out across Natsu's face. "Sure, I can meet you there. Talk to you then." He ended the call, meeting Lucy's curious gaze. "Lucy Lucy! Let's go out tonight!"

"Wha- You can't just tell me-. How do you - " she froze as he moved in near, his smiling face so close to hers. She felt her cheeks heat up, not expecting her personal space to be invaded. "Ah… too close…"

"I promise, it'll be fun," he replied, essentially ignoring that she was uncomfortable. Lucy bit her lip, glancing around before taking a step back.

"It's just Lucy." she murmured, watching his brows lift in slight confusion.

"Hm?"

"You keep doubling my name."

"Ah, right. Sorry!" He rubbed the back of his head, a sheepish grin still on his face. He was not like the usual guys she would talk to, his cheery and open disposition throwing her off guard. She was so used to men trying to win her over for her looks or money. Something about Natsu seemed… genuine. It made her at ease. Like he could take on the world for her. She was finding herself liking it.

"Ok."

"Ok?"

"I'll go with you. I hope you'll keep your promise about fun," she said, adjusting her strap on her shoulder. He smiled, offering her his arm.

\---

Gajeel stared at his phone a moment longer before putting it back in his pocket. Behind him, he could hear the girls laughing at something, turning to see Lily on the couch between them. Juvia had procured a feather toy, wiggling it in his face and enjoying watching him paw at it. Leaning in the doorway, he crossed his arms over his chest as he merely watched them play and tease the little creature much to its delight. Lily always loved attention, known to flick his tail in Gajeel's face in order to demand it. Sensing a set of eyes on her, Levy peered up to see the dark haired male, tilting her head at him.

"Everything ok now? Lucy seemed nervous because she didn't know him."

"Yeah, it's fine now. Moron has his instructions," he replied, walking into the room. Levy turned fully in her seat towards him, confused by his words. Juvia took over tickling Lily, a soft giggle escaping her as the feline continued pawing while on his back.

"What do you mean by 'instructions'?" He let out his signature laugh as he walked up beside her, giving her a kiss on her fluffy locks.

"Don't you worry your pretty head about it," he whispered. He glanced upward at his friend, "Oi, Juvia, you work tonight?" She peered up from Lily, a small frown on her face.

"Juvia works tonight," she replied. The frown was soon replaced with a far off look, her eyes glazing over as she brought her hands to her face, "but Juvia's Gray is going to be there as well so Juvia doesn't mind at all." Gajeel winced at bit at seeing her like that, feeling he would never be used to seeing her take on such a personality. It made her happy, though, and he figured that was all he could hope for her. Shaking his head, he moved between them and scooped up Lily, the cat twisting in his arms and climbing up to his right shoulder. He seemed to perch there as though he had done it many times before.

"Well, thanks for having us and taking care of my little furball, but we have to get going," he said, offering his hand to Levy who took it, her face scrunched in confusion. From her spot still on the couch, Juvia smiled softly at seeing her dear friend look at the other female with such caring in his eyes. For as long as she had known him, he was always known to keep to himself, only caring about fighting and getting by.

"Might Juvia steal Levy for a moment?" she asked, jumping from her seat and snagging Levy's wrist. The smaller female gasped at the sudden yank of her arm as she was dragged into the kitchen. "Juvia will meet you outside, Gajeel!" she called over her shoulder. Blinking repeatedly as though trying to register what just happened, the crimson eyed male grunted a response before slowly walking away to retrieve Lily's cat carrier. Levy twirled on her heel as Juvia closed the door behind them.

"I-is something wrong?" The taller female peered back at her after making sure Gajeel was gone, a soft chuckle escaping her.

"Oh far from it. Juvia merely wanted to talk to you," she moved towards the counter where their used cups had been placed, turning on the faucet as she cleaned them off. "Juvia wants Levy to know just how much Gajeel cares about her."

"What?"

"Juvia has known Gajeel since he was a teenager. He has always been so distant with those he doesn't know or likes. Outside, he is rather crude and frightening. Juvia sees he really cares for you and I want to thank you for that," she said as she grabbed a dish cloth. Levy noticed that she still had the water running a little, realizing that she was using it as added noise in case the man was nearby listening. "As one of his oldest friends, it warms Juvia's heart to see him like this."

"Like what?" Levy blurted. The taller female placed the cloth over the edge of her drying rack, turning to give her a quizzical look, her hair falling into her eyes.

"Does Levy not see how Gajeel looks at her?" Levy felt her face burn, words attempting to sputter some kind of response. To have someone else point it out to her was too much, her brain short circuiting with embarrassment. With everything that had happened, there wasn't a doubt in her mind that Gajeel had feelings for her. He had already done so much for her, it was more than her heart could take. Tears began spilling down her cheeks before she could stop herself, her hands going over her face. She stiffened as she felt the other woman gently embrace her, her arm around her shoulders while her hand patted her head. "Juvia is sorry," came the soft reply. Levy shook her head wildly, trying to compose herself and failing miserably.

"You did nothing wrong," she managed out, her voice muffled. She pulled back, a smile on her face, "I do, Juvia. He is a very special guy." She pointed towards the running water, allowing Levy to wash her face.

"Just be sure to tell Juvia if he needs a knock in the head, ok?" A laugh bursted from the smaller female as she patted her face dry, giving Juvai a firm nod. "Come along now, Gajeel will get antsy if we don't hurry." She grabbed Levy's wrist once more upon the girl turning off the water and placing the cloth down again. Sure enough, they found him outside with his arms crossed as he leaned against his bike, an agitated look on his face. Behind him, Lily was restless in his carrier, meowing constantly while attempting to pace in the small box. "Are you sure you will be ok with Lily on there with you guys?" He merely jerked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing out that he was strapped down and therefore safe.

"She's tiny. It's gonna be like she isn't even there." He watched with amusement as Levy's cheeks puffed up in the reflexive response about her height. Juvia giggled at the little event going on before her, her hand over her mouth to hide her smile. Levy glanced back, pointing at the large male.

"I'd like to cash in one of my head knocks," she muttered, earning a flat out laugh from the woman beside her. Gajeel looked between them confused.

"What's this about?"

"Nothing to worry your hard head," Levy said, walking up to him. A slight 'oof' escaped her as Gajeel placed his helmet on her head.

"Right, well, I'll talk to you later, Juvia. Thanks again," he said as he placed Levy on his bike. She moved up, hugging him tightly and waving them goodbye as Gajeel revved his engine and took off homeward.

\---

**More to come, I'll be sure it is updated much sooner than this one was.**

**Looking for fanart for this? Be sure to check my DeviantArt, P atreon, and now Tumblr**

**Many hugs~!**


	21. Serenade

**Hello lovelies, how have you been? Things have been pretty crazy and not hearing from you guys kills my drive.**

**Want to thank everyone who has commented, faved, and put on their alert. You guys are amazing!**

**Was thinking about throwing this note at the end but it might help during so I'll put it here: there is a song featured in this chapter and I hate the whole wall of text from just lyrics. Main segments were used but to hear the whole thing, its Matchbox 20's Overjoyed.**

**Thanks to Sicone for helping me pick one that fit the scene hehe**

**Edited by my sexy man.**

\---

Levy didn't know what to expect at all. The tall male in her company merely told her to find something nice in her bag, explaining only that they were going out tonight. There was a lot of pouting which proved fruitless as Gajeel dug his heels in and told her to change. She had managed to fish a dress that was at the bottom, the garment in its own bag with a pair of matching heeled sandals. A small scowl came over her face as she realized it was a dark red dress that Lucy had wanted her to get a little while back. It was strapless save for the thin chords that would cross over her chest and tie around her neck. Separate sleeves of the same color were with it, knowing Lucy must have had them tailored for her. The sleeves were large and billowy, held on her arms with a white cord. Finally there was the shoes, two inch heeled dark red sandals that had straps going around the ankles. Levy twirled in the mirror, trying her best to see herself. A soft knock had her jolting as she tied a black headband in, her eyes darting towards the bedroom door.

"Levy, I'll be at the door, ok?"

"Ok, just a minute," she called back, fluffing her hair about. She moved to put the small bag back into her bigger one, a small cylinder falling onto the floor. Without realizing, her eyes were wide as saucers as her brain instantly recognized it as lipstick. Flashes of that man dressing her and painting her face flickered through her mind, causing her to instantly break into a sweat. She gripped the dresser, taking a shuddering breath. She couldn't let this take control of her. She wouldn't. Before it even registered, she was on the ground hugging herself tightly. "He's gone. I'll be ok…" she whispered over and over quietly, rocking back and forth a bit. She hated how her body reacted, how it would shake uncontrollably and her breath would try to escape her. After a moment, she slowly climbed to her feet, her eyes finding her reflection once again over the dresser. She stared back at an image of her void of color, her expression frozen in fear. Taking another deep breath, she moved into the bathroom, quickly splashing water on her face. As she watched droplets glide down her cheeks, she attempted to steady herself, her hands gripping the counter. She would always read so many books about people being kidnapped or being in dire, heart-pounding situations, always feeling that from the writer's point of view that she had some sort of idea what it could have felt like for them. A small, half-hearted scoff escaped her, making her wonder if she should write down her feelings herself to help ease her tensions away. However, that was for later. She dried off and moved to leave the room, ignoring the lipstick that was still on the ground near the dresser. At hearing her heels against the floor, Gajeel glanced up to see her walking towards him, his expression easing.

"I was getting a bit worried, you were in there for awhile." She raised an eyebrow at him, tilting her head in confusion. "It's been ten minutes since I told you I would be waiting." He saw her eyes grow wide before she looked down at the floor, mumbling an apology.

_'That was ten minutes!?'_

"Don't worry about it, shrimp. Shall we get going?" He watched as she snapped her head up, her happy expression masking the nervousness she was experiencing. He made a note to himself to ask her about it later. He figured if she was trying this hard, it was very important to her not to tell him yet. She was trying to be strong and not lean on him. He didn't like it but it was something she was deciding for herself. Opening the door, he brought his arm up to motion for her to go first. Pulling her bangs behind her ear, she smiled, walking out ahead of him. As he closed the door, he was startled as she turned on her heel and pushed him slightly. Being caught off guard, his back hit the door, his eyes wide.

"I hope you know that I really am so thankful for everything you've been doing for me, Gajeel," she whispered, her hand on his chest. He gave her a grin, trying to come back from being surprised.

"No worries, Lev. Don't think anything of it." She shook her head, looking down at the ground as she brought her hands to her chest.

"No, you really have done so much for me. We haven't even been dating that long," she whispered, her gaze darting to the side. A small gasp escaped her as he took one of her hands, giving it a kiss as he brought his arm around her waist to pull her closer. Her honey eyes met his ruby ones, her heart hammering loudly against her ribs at how close he was. She could feel his breath on her skin as he moved to capture her lips, his lightly brushing against hers.

"You're very special to me." Before she could reply, he stole her words, earning a soft moan instead as he deepened the kiss. As he pulled back, he noticed tears in the corners of her eyes, causing him to frown. "What's wrong?" Her hair flitted about as she shook her head, burying her face into his chest. He smelled so nice. It calmed her as she nuzzled him.

"Nothing is wrong as long as I have you…." He leaned back a bit, a look of concern on his features. Even with all this, he could still feel something was bothering her underneath it all. That something troubled her heart and she was trying to be brave.

"Perhaps we shouldn't go out," he murmured, watching her large eyes turn upward at him.

"No, I'm fine," she said, pulling away from him a little. She needed to go out, as much as she loved being here alone with Gajeel, she needed to gain the courage to be outside again. What happened in the bedroom was something she wanted gone. The feeling of fear that Kreem had given her, the loss of control. Gajeel watched her as her eyes danced about, clearly lost in her thoughts. He brought his hand up to caress her cheek, the warmth bringing her back to reality as her eyes focused on him once more. "I'm fine," she whispered. He knew already that she wasn't but he didn't want to pressure her with anything. Giving her a nod, he let her take the lead, wandering to their ride.

A short trip had them arriving at The Water Lily, the nighttime making it look completely different from the last time Levy had been there. The lighting going along the structure and the railings kept changing from gold to blue and back. The outside terrace had small torch- like lights, the flames flickering and aiding with keeping bugs away. There were way more people here, proving this was more of a nightlife spot. As they moved in through the crowd, Levy could see Mira weaving between tables as she passed alcoholic beverages to patrons. The blue eyed woman spotted them at the entrance, shouting that she'd be right there. Gajeel gave her a nod, scanning the place as though he was looking for something. Levy tilted her head in confusion until he grabbed her arm and dragged her in lightly. As he guided her along, they found Mira again, the white haired female greeting them warmly before leaning in to whisper something to Gajeel. Levy watched them curiously, the noises around them drowning out any chance she had of hearing them. She found herself staring at the dark haired male, the dark red button up looking great on him, the ends tucked into his black slacks. As if sensing her gaze, Gajeel glanced over at her, taking her hand and thanking the hostess. Once more she was being dragged along until they reached the area closest to the small stage. A flash of blonde hair caught Levy's eyes, her face lighting up at recognizing the person instantly.

"Lucy!"

"Oh, Levy! I'm so happy to see you. How are you feeling?" She instantly hugged the smaller girl, squeezing her tightly to the point where the other couldn't respond. A tiny squeak was her only reply until she let her go. "Oh I'm sorry."

"No worries, I'm doing fine. Gajeel has been taking good care of me. Keeps making sure I take my medicine." A devious look crossed the blonde's face as she brought her hand in front of her mouth a bit, making Levy feel nervous.

"Cana has mentioned that," she said, a small grin on her lips. Levy's face instantly turned completely red, unable to respond in fear of what the brunette could have said to her. Gajeel's face was suddenly beside theirs, his ruby eyes hard.

"That fucking alcohol princess spreading rumors? I could only imagine what she said," he growled. Lucy's expression faltered now that she was facing him, still not comfortable with how his humor was. She coughed into her fist nervously, turning to point at their table.

"Please, join us."

"Us?" Levy blurted, her honey eyes moving towards where her friend was pointing. There, sitting at the table, was the pink haired man she'd met at Lamia Scale. "Natsu?" He grinned as he waved them over, patting the seat beside him. Lucy occupied it going back to the drink she had been consuming before their arrival. Gajeel and Levy sat across from them, ordering sodas. "Did you know they would be here?"

"Yes, I told them to meet us." She smiled gently as a fist slamming on the table had her gasping and darting her eyes to the other side.

"Oi, metalhead, what took ya so long? Get lost?"

"The fuck you say, Salamander?" Levy stared at her lap, knowing she was what was holding them up. Though she had no idea they were meeting up with Natsu and Lucy, she still felt bad. "The thought of seeing your ugly mug slowed me down." She felt him grasp her hand under the table, her eyes meeting his as she realized he knew what she was thinking. She smiled at him, relaxing a little from the stress she was experiencing. Seeing that he made her feel better, he gave her hand a squeeze before settling his ruby stare back on his coworker. "So I've been hearing you're being more annoying than usual."

"Ya wanna fight, metal face!?" The dark haired male snickered, only rousing Natsu further.

"I'd destroy you."

"Bring it!"

"Now, now, I think Mira would kill you both," Levy whispered, noticing only Gajeel tense up. Lucy brought her hands up to calm Natsu who had noticed Gajeel's reaction instantly.

"Scared of a girl?" The dark haired male leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest while baring his fangs.

"Tch, why don't you go piss her off now. I could use a laugh," Gajeel growled out. "Remember Elfman talking about her?" The pink haired male seemed to recall something, his body relaxing as he settled in his seat.

"Oh…" Lucy let out a breath at the guys finally quieting, taking another sip of her drink while brushing her bangs behind her ear. The pause of silence had her fidgeting with a napkin a minute before turning towards her friend. She frowned a bit at seeing Levy spaced out, clearing her throat before speaking.

"So how are things otherwise? I'm glad to see you looking better, Levy." The blue haired female met her friend's gaze, her eyes focusing. "Like the dress?" The blonde gave a sort of evil grin, knowing she had left it in the bag for her and how much trouble Levy had given when they had first tried to buy it.

"Yes." Levy's wide eyes turned to her right, seeing Gajeel give her his signature toothy grin. Instantly, she felt her ears burn, her face lighting up at seeing his hungry gaze. She tried shrinking in her seat, moving her head so that her bangs were covering her face. Lucy watched as Gajeel leaned in towards the blue haired female, whispering something which caused the hiding girl to squeak. Gajeel flinched at hearing his name, turning to see Mira approach their table. The white haired woman smiled sweetly at the four, welcoming them to the restaurant before asking the dark haired male for help with something. "Yeah, sure it's not a problem." He turned towards the others, "Why don't you guys order some appetizers or something. I'll be right back." He slid out of his seat, following Mira into the crowd. Levy stared after him, her brows knitted in worry until Lucy rested her hand on hers. She turned to look back, finding the blonde giving her a sympathetic look.

"So what have you been up to lately? Work has been pretty boring without you around."

"I think it can be boring with or without me," she murmured with a small laugh. The waiter returned with her and Gajeel's drinks, setting them down with some straws. Levy grabbed one of them, peeling the paper off slowly in a daze.

"You ok?" Her honey eyes peered up to see both Lucy and Natsu watching her, her face flushing from not realizing she had spaced out once again. She looked out where Gajeel had disappeared before sinking into her seat with a deep sigh.

"Not really. I'm so afraid. Even now I just want to run out of here," she whispered. Lucy pulled her seat closer, wrapping her arm around Levy's shoulders.

"You'll be ok. These things take time and healing. I couldn't imagine what you could have been through." She snuggled against her cheek with her own, earning a small chuckle, "If you ever need to talk, you know to just call me, right?"

"Thank you, Lucy." Across from them, Natsu jerked his thumb towards himself, leaning on the table closer to them.

"I'll help ya whenever you need it too." Levy laughed as she moved away from the blonde, giving the man a smile and a nod. Noticing her eyes darting to the side again, Natsu looked into the crowd. "Wonder where metal head went." Levy nodded gently, her shoulders sagging a bit at the lonely feeling she was experiencing the moment he'd left. A female voice on a microphone caught their attention as the loud noises began fading. On the small stage that was relatively close to them, was Mirajane, her hand in the air as she tried quieting the rest of the establishment for her little announcement. As it simmered down, the lights went dim, the only source being the spotlight on the female.

"Good evening, everyone! How is everybody feeling tonight?" The whole place gave a cheer, a lot of wolf whistles sounding at seeing the white haired beauty on stage. Lucy raised a brow in confusion, whispering to Levy how she thought Gajeel had gone to help the woman. Biting her bottom lip, Levy scanned the area in search of the said man, hoping he would show any second. "As our regulars know, we have a lot of live entertainment here at The Water Lily and our next performer is a bit of a normal around here." Mira moved to the side a bit, the curtain drawing back as she did. "Let's give it up for Gajeel Redfox!" The whole table instantly locked onto the stage, finding Gajeel at its center seated on a stool with an acoustic guitar in his lap, his red button down halfway undone to show his white tank underneath. He began plucking away a few strings, clearly unhappy with a sound as he twisted some of the tiny knobs on the neck to adjust the noise. Another pluck of his fingertips seemed to prove it was the tone he wanted as he began strumming a gentle beat, his foot tapping as he got into the rhythm. It was a pleasant sound, the gentle guitar lulling the rest of the place fully quiet as Gajeel leaned over slightly to the microphone that was set up beside him.

**"Feeling my hands start shaking**

**Hearing your voice I'm overjoyed"**

He glanced upwards a moment as the words passed through his lips, his eyes locking onto Levy's for a brief moment as Mirajane started aiding him with backup guitar.

**"Maybe you have your reasons**

**Maybe you're scared you'll be let down**

**Are you crying when there's no one around…"**

Levy tensed a bit, wondering if he knew about her being scared earlier. Between seeing him on stage and knowing it was for her, she felt her heart racing, her face burning. She brought her hands up to her cheeks, feeling the heat radiating off them. She glanced at Lucy a quick moment, seeing she and Natsu were still staring at Gajeel in shock. Her heart fluttered as she looked back, seeing him lean back to the mic.

**"The smile on your face like summer**

**The way that your hand keeps touching mine**

**Let me be the one that make it right…"**

Gajeel stood from his seat, the strap of the guitar tightening from the weight taking over. He kept tapping his foot, his hands strumming the strings as every now and then he would glance her way. Levy just now registered that someone was playing the drum in the back to add more beats to the song for him. The spotlight followed him as he wandered over to their table, the crowd giving light cheering as they noticed he was singing to someone in particular. He raised his voice a bit, not having the microphone to amplify him over the music.

**"And if you want, we'll share this life**

**Anytime you need a friend, I'm gonna be by your side**

**When nobody understands you, well I do…"**

Even though her face was on fire and she could feel the eyes of every person on her as Gajeel leaned in to sing to her, she kept her head up, meeting his gaze. She didn't want to miss this. This precious gift he was giving her in song. He smiled as he kept singing, his fangs glinting in the low light. People in the area began clapping to the beat, helping add to the melody as Gajeel thrummed on the strings harder as the song was coming to a close.

**"...I cannot overstate it**

**I will be overjoyed."**

He leaned in further, his hair falling into his eyes.

**"Yeah, I will be overjoyed."**

His hand ceased its movement along the strings, the beat reverberating until the sound died out on its own, signalling the end of the song. All around them, the establishment let out a loud cheer, the applause breaking Gajeel out of it for a moment to politely bow before Mira came over to retrieve the guitar from him. He gave her a nod of thanks before sliding into the seat alongside Levy, enjoying her bright red face.

"I-I just… you s-said… I mean…" Levy's voice betrayed her as adrenaline tampered with her body, causing her to sputter and fidget in her seat. Across from them, Lucy cooed at how adorable the whole thing was while Natsu was just in plain shock.

"I had no idea you could hold an actual tune," the pink haired male muttered, earning a death glare from his boss. At seeing those red eyes glaring daggers at him, this only amped him up further to fight. Sucking his teeth in annoyance, Gajeel turned back towards Levy as he heard Lucy hiss for the firebug to behave. He internally snickered, feeling like those two were getting along rather well for having just met each other. He'd only invited them for Levy to feel more comfortable. He'd loved seeing her expression lighting up at spotting her friend when they had arrived. He moved a few strands of her bangs aside, listening as she attempted to put whole sentences together.

"Who would have thought I would have the librarian speechless?" Her head darted up, her cheeks puffing at the little retort. Noticing his drink, he gently bit at the straw, watching the little fairy beside him attempt to get the words out for some sort of comeback. In the background, the place went back to normal as music pumped through the speakers and people began talking and dancing again. In the back of his mind, the raven haired male was feeling like he was back at work. "Gihee, I bet you fell more in love with me." He watched as she played with a napkin, beginning to tear it into small pieces.

"You didn't have to do anything to get me to do that," she whispered, looking up to see him grin. "Still, it was very sweet of you. Thank you." She leaned over, giving him a tiny kiss on his lips. The waiter arrived with small plates of food that they had ordered while Gajeel had disappeared, giving them a chance to dig in while starting small chat. Natsu began talking about the club and how much he missed picking fights with his boss to which he earned a conk in the head for. Before he could return the favor, Lucy was already grabbing his arm, begging him to stop. Levy couldn't stop herself as she laughed at how silly it all was, feeling better about going out. They continued about chatting each of their jobs and social lives with Natsu constantly making everyone laugh. Lucy pulled out her phone, motioning for the two across from her to pose for a picture. Levy instantly hid her face until she felt a strong arm around her, a hand lifting her chin. Wide, honey eyes peered up to see Gajeel looking down at her, a gentle smile on his lips. He leaned in, giving her a soft kiss as they heard the click of a camera.

"Gotcha!" Lucy squeaked in triumph, instantly saving the picture. Levy broke out of her daze to give the blonde a small whine. Before she could realize what was going on, Natsu had his arm around her, pulling her into his chest.

"Oi, no fair, we should get one too!" he exclaimed, giving a toothy grin as he brought his phone up and snapped a picture of them. Lucy's face turned bright red, not expecting the sudden contact, much less to be pulled against the man. Perceiving it as a sort of revenge, Levy let out a chuckle at seeing her friend flustered. Wiping her mouth with a napkin, she excused herself to use the restroom, earning a nervous look from Gajeel.

"I'll go with her," Lucy chimed in, seeing the raven haired male ease noticeably. The blonde looped her arm around her friend's, finding out from one of the wait staff where it was. When they were gone, Gajeel turned towards the other male, snapping his fingers to get his attention from his food.

"Oi, so you saw that weirdo, right? Lyon told you?"

"Yeah, he did," he replied, taking a sip of his beverage. "Said something about the guy creeping on you. Gray and I kicked him to the curb. He was strangely calm though." Gajeel stared at the tabletop in thought, recalling when he'd seen the man at the abandoned house. He had seemed to give off this eerie vibe that even though Gajeel had only seen him a short moment, he felt it. Thinking about the house also made him think of Bora, hoping he'd get the chance to strangle the guy. Natsu watched as pure rage formed on the other man's face, almost feeling it surge within himself. They continued chatting quietly for awhile until a loud scream from a woman had them looking up.

"Someone call an ambulance! There's a woman unconscious in the bathroom!" Both men were instantly on their feet, rushing forward to barge by everyone. Shoving their way through, they found Lucy out cold on the tile floor, her hair undone from her side ponytail and splayed out.

"Lucy! Oi, Lucy!" the flame haired male pulled her into his arms, shaking her slightly. Her head rolled away from him, sending a wave of fear and anger through him. Gajeel reached forward, checking her pulse.

"Seems ok. I don't see any marks." He looked around, not finding Levy or any trace of her. Tension began building up as he felt like his heart was in his throat. How could they have known they were here? They had barely gone anywhere to show any interest in this place. It didn't make any sense to him. A groan from the woman beside them had them jolting, watching her chocolate eyes open.

"Lucy! Are you ok?"

"Where is Levy? She's not here!" The blonde winced at his loud voice, leaning up slightly before grasping at her head. Gajeel kept reminding himself that this woman was disoriented and not to keep yelling at her. She peered around, seeing she was at the entrance of the restroom.

"A man… dark hair… tattoo... " she murmured, grabbing her head again. "Said to... tell the flame haired one, thanks…" Natsu raised a brow in confusion until he felt the front of his shirt grabbed, meeting burning red eyes.

"He was tailing you and you didn't notice?!" Natsu went wide eyed, trying to think back through the steps he went through to find Gajeel. To think there was someone watching him and he had no idea at all.

"What? There's no way…" A rage began boiling within him, wanting to find whoever this person that Gajeel seemed to know about and beat him senseless. He'd caused problems for Gajeel and Levy already. Now he'd hurt Lucy, something that was adding fuel to the fire in his chest.

"Bora…. They have her again! I… I need to go," Gajeel breathed out as he pushed him away harshly and climbed to his feet. Natsu reached out and grabbed the other man's black pant leg, stopping him before he had the chance to run off.

"Lemme go with you! I can help!" He peered down at the fist holding him in place, his studded brow creasing further at being stopped. In the background, he barely registered Mira's voice telling people to clear the area and make room for the paramedics that were to arrive soon. The crowd began thinning out, doing as the white haired female had asked and coaxing Gajeel to stomp off. However, Natsu's grip was strong, forcing him to fully acknowledge the man.

"I think you've done enough. Besides, are you really about to leave Lucy like this alone?" Gajeel flinched as someone latched onto his arm, his reflex having him turn to lash out when wide, blue eyes stopped him. "Mira! Don't grab me like that…"

"What's going on? Do you know something?"

"I'm sorry, Mira, I'm afraid I brought this trouble here…" he replied, biting his lip and looking away. "I'll make it up to you," he murmured, gently prying her grip off him before pulling his leg harshly away from Natsu. The white haired woman glared, grabbing his shoulder and forcing him to face her.

"I don't care about this. You know that! Are you guys ok? Where is the other lady friend?"

"I have to go now."

"Gajeel Redfox, don't you run away from me!" He grit his teeth, knowing he never wanted to cross Mira. The only part of him that kept him stationary was that this ruined the evening for her business. He began shorthand explaining the situation to her, hoping he had given enough for her to let him go. A small voice saying his name had him looking to Lucy who was weakly reaching out to him.

"Please…" she watched as he knelt down again, "you have to help her. She's my dear friend." He nodded, demanding that Natsu stay by her side as he finally began pushing his way through the crowd that was still there. Bright, flashing lights greeted him outside as the paramedics arrived, hauling some basic equipment with them based on the information they were given. They hurried by, not even giving the raven haired male a second glance. He took a breath, staring at the doorway they disappeared through. Lucy was going to be alright. Help was there. Plus, she had Natsu with her and he wasn't going to let anything happen to a friend.

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**Hoping to hear from you guys, its my motivation!**

**If you are looking for some fan art, you can check my DeviantArt or Tumblr (under the same name)**

**If anyone wants to make some too, I will love you forever xD**

**Again: song is Matchbox 20's Overjoyed if you wanna hear it all.**

**Next chapter is already halfway done so should be faster this time.**

**Author's Note:**

> I, of course, do not own Fairy Tail.


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